Great Western Coffee Shop

Network Rail issues urgent warning to parents in the North-East

AN urgent warning has been issued to parents and carers to know where their children are as schools remain closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Network Rail has warned the region's parents of the "horrendous" consequences for children and their families who have trespassed onto the region's railway tracks in the last few months.

Network Rail said it was "worried" that school closures could see a potential increase in the number of recorded instances of trespass on the North-East's rail network.

Allan Spence, head of public and passenger safety at Network Rail said: “The Easter holidays are the start of the peak for railway trespass and with schools now closed for an extended period.

"I’m really, really worried that the railway will become an irresistible but catastrophic playground for too many children.

“Each year, we see hundreds of people taking risks on and around the railway, resulting in tragic consequences and life-changing injuries.

“Please talk to your children, access our free school railway safety lessons and help us to help save young people as we know all too well that that everyone loses when you step on the track.”

Important messages for parents and carers to share with children:

* The rail network is never switched off. Electricity powers the overhead cables 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
* The rail network does not go to sleep once the last passenger services have run. Freight trains run all through the night.
* Never anticipate that you know when the next train is due. The reduced number of passenger trains running on the network during the day will allow more freight services to operate during the daytime hours, transporting vital goods around the country. A freight train can travel at up to 100mph.

Rail bosses have urged parents and carers to keep their children indoors after seeing a rise in trespassing on the railways.

There has been a spike in trespassing and vandalism on the live rails across Kent with 16 cases recorded since schools were forced to shut on Friday due to the coronavirus.

[continues]

Network Rail and British Transport Police are urging parents and carers in the Thames Valley, West Country and South West to hammer home railway safety messages as schools across Britain close.

Incidents of trespass on the railway always spike when children are not at school, so parents are urged to remind their children to keep off the tracks as trespassing on the railway is incredibly dangerous and can have horrendous consequences for children and their families.

Last year, across Network Rail’s Western route, which covers the Thames Valley, Wiltshire, Bristol and the West Country, Worcester and the South West, there were 1,300 instances of trespass – an increase of almost 100 from the previous year.

Almost a quarter of last year’s trespass incidents on Western involved youths.

Hotspots across the region include in Bedminster in Bristol, Hayes & Harlington, Southall, and Reading. However, trespass has occurred in every part of the Western route with an increase when schools are closed.

Mike Gallop, Network Rail route director for Western, said: “The Easter holidays are the start of the peak for railway trespass and with schools now closed for an extended period, I am concerned that the railway could become the default play area for some younger people.