Warning as teens play on rail tracks at Chippenham over the Easter holiday

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Wiltshire Gazette & Herald:

PCSOs Elizabeth Duncan and Sarah Hardwidge are advising parents to make sure their children know the dangers of the railway line

Police are warning of the dangers of foolish behaviour on railway tracks after two incidents involving children on the Chippenham line over the Easter holidays.

On one occasion all approaching trains had to be stopped after police received a report of group of eight youths throwing stones at trains.

The youths, aged mainly 15 with one 16-year-old boy, were seen crossing the tracks between Marshfield Road and Ivy Lane on the bridge next to Bewley House.

Police had to advise Network Rail to stop all trains as they could not enter the tracks while they were still live.

They also informed the British Transport Police and sent letters to the parents warning them of their children^s anti-social behaviour.

They are appealing to all parents to make sure their children know the dangers of playing near the railway.

PCSO Sarah Hardwidge said: ^If you are in the way, the train won^t stop ^ the driver will not see you until it is too late.^

A week before, on Good Friday, a separate group of youths was caught trespassing on the railway line at Kington Langley. Three trainspotters standing on the branch line called police at 2.45pm after seeing a 13-year-old and two 14-year-olds crossing the tracks.

All three teenagers admitted trespassing and were escorted home by police.

PCSO Hardwidge said: ^Not only is this an offence, it causes a huge amount of disruption. It endangers the train driver and passengers, and puts the lives of police officers at risk while they look for the youngsters. The youngsters don^t seem to realise how busy Chippenham station is. You^ve constantly got trains coming in from Bristol and Swindon. Some London trains can get up to 125mph and can take over a mile to stop.^

In 2011, 50 people were killed after trespassing on the railway, and there were more than 400 near misses.

[trainer]

Some years back I was travelling back to Bristol from Salisbury and as the train passed over the avoiding lines behind Westbury (Wilts) station I saw three children aged about 14 sauntering in the up direction on the Up Fast (125mph limit?) line.  I made a 999 call (to some stirring in the seats around me when I said the word 'Police') and tried to explain carefully where they were.  As we were approaching Bathampton Junc (20 mins or so later), I had a call back to say that BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) had arrived at Westbury Station but couldn't find the children.  Clearly they had long gone and my description of their location had been lost in translation.  I'm glad I did something though: seeing a report on the local news later of a tragedy would have been hard to live with.

I think PCSOs have been invented since then, but even so, the BTP cannot be expected to save every youngster from their own folly and schools and parents need to be pro-active in re-enforcing the message and firm, publicised action taken against those caught for everyone's sake.