Partnership launched to tackle increasing numbers of railway risk takers

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From Network Rail

Network Rail and the British Transport Police (BTP^▸ (British Transport Police)) have today launched a new partnership with the English Football League Trust (EFL Trust) and StreetGames to help tackle the increasing number of people risking their lives on the railway.

New figures released today reveal over 250 incidents a week have been recorded by people messing about on the railway – taking short-cuts, capturing photos and even ‘train surfing’ – sometimes with tragic consequences. Young people (under 18s) make up one of the largest categories, responsible for a third of all cases.

Allan Spence, head of passenger & public safety at Network Rail, said: “Children, and adults alike, continue to risk their lives by going onto the track and it has to stop. Every day we see over three dozen incidents and each one could be a potential catastrophe leading to life-changing injuries or even death.

“Sport is a powerful vehicle for communicating with this hard-to-reach audience, so by working in partnership with these sports charities we hope to be able to reach children and teens in those communities most at risk with this incredibly important safety message.”

The ‘You vs. Train’ campaign launched last year by the rail industry and British Transport Police saw incidents involving children reduce by 12%, but young people continue to put themselves at high risk. Responding to the continued problem, the industry’s railway trespass group has this year launched a new phase of the You vs. Train campaign, forming partnerships with the English Football League Trust and StreetGames to drive the rail safety message directly to hard-to-reach young people.

At the heart of the issue is a lack of understanding and awareness of the risks. Research undertaken amongst teenagers last year found that, while most are aware that the railway is a dangerous place, most of them don’t realise quite how dangerous it is or the specific dangers they face when they step on the track.

BTP Assistant Chief Constable Robin Smith said: “The lack of knowledge about the potential dangers seems to be why young people choose the tracks as a place to take risks, so our main focus is on providing much-needed education. By working closely with The EFL Trust and StreetGames, it will give us the best possible chance of ensuring that the message resonates where it is most needed.”

The EFL Trust is the official charity of the English Football League and StreetGames is a charity that supports a network of local projects that operate in the most disadvantaged communities. Both organisations harness the power of sport to educate, engage and encourage positive change for the lives of disadvantaged young people.

Mike Evans, Director of Operations at The EFL Trust, said: “Bringing about positive change in the community is at the very core of The EFL Trust’s values. Football can be an enormous force for good and have a profoundly positive impact on communities – so we are looking forward to helping tackle this issue in those areas where children and young people are particularly vulnerable.”

Stuart Felce, StreetGames Head of Community Safety, said: “We were alarmed to hear how many young people unintentionally risk their lives on the railway every year. The network of StreetGames projects work closely with young people from disadvantaged communities every day and so are perfectly placed to help deliver this safety message in a way that we hope will resonate.”

As well as reaching children and teens via The EFL Trust and StreetGames, community engagement managers from across Network Rail, BTP and Train Operating Companies will be out teaching thousands of young people about railway safety.

A new film highlighting the hidden dangers of the railway will also be launched across social media alongside new content telling the story of Tom - a young boy who suffered life-changing injuries in 2014 when he was electrocuted by the overhead power cables – and his family, to illustrate the life-changing impact that the accident has had on them.

Representatives from Network Rail, BTP, EFL Trust and StreetGames will be at Birmingham New Street Station on 8th May to officially launch the partnership alongside children from local schools.

To watch the new video and find out how to keep your children safe on the railway visit: www.YouVsTrain.co.uk.

Also from the Press Release - a note to editors listing key hot spots ...

Network Rail, British Transport Police, EFL Trust and StreetGames have identified 48 high-risk trespass locations across Britain, which will be targeted over the coming months. These include:

South London, Croydon, Sittingbourne, Gillingham, Enfield, Ipswich, Norwich, Pitsea, Chelmsford, Reading, Bedminster, Sheffield, Leeds, Derby, Dewsbury, Frizinghall, Rotherham, Nottingham, Doncaster, Birmingham, Stalybridge, Pendleton, Greater Manchester, Rochdale, Coventry, Milton Keynes, Bridgend, Darlington, County Durham, Dalmuir and Shettleston.

As a press release, the above is intended by Network Rail to be widely copied - hence my quoting in full and rather than just a short section for critical review.

[TaplowGreen]

"Risk takers" sounds a bit edgy, even glamorous...………...how about "morons"?

[grahame]

"Risk takers" sounds a bit edgy, even glamorous...………...how about "morons"?

In modern usage, maybe ... in old fashioned use, the term "moron" is a person with an IQ of between 51 and 70.  And the stupid actions that Network Rail - and the rail industry as a whole - are seeking to discourage / prevent / eliminate are far from limited to that group.   There are people who are so limited in their mental ability and / or knowledge and / or ability to retain that knowledge that they need special care and attention.  But, sadly, there are also those who have the knowledge and ability, but are 'egged on" - sometimes un-knowingly, and sometimes in all innocence, by others.  Doing it to keep in with the crowd, or to earn your recognition/spurs by going over and above the crowd.

Going back to my oft-quoted example at Melksham ... Granny with kid in arms was limited in knowledge. Kid in arms did not yet have the mental ability / adult IQ to know any better. Twits on the bank and leaning over the platform edge had the knowledge, probably had the intelligence (certainly bright enough to drive to the station and operate cameras) and were - I can only surmise - out for the pleasure, and going beyond what they should to get that superb picture to show the family, friends in the pub, pals at the local railway society, or in their Facebook group, on Twitter or on Instagram.

I don't really like "risk takers" but neither do I like "morons".   I should be constructive here, then.  What term would I use?  Twits??

[grahame]

Network Rail's own public piece - with a video - published at https://www.networkrail.co.uk/you-vs-train/ (basically the press release set up for 'regular' readers rather than the press).

The main 'shout' is young people ... thoughts yesterday that it would be majoring on people following heritage trains on mainlines are wide of the mark - which is not to say that we don't have an issue there too.

[Bob_Blakey]

I don't really like "risk takers" but neither do I like "morons".   I should be constructive here, then.  What term would I use?  Twits??

How about 'Darwin Award Contestants'?

[grahame]

I don't really like "risk takers" but neither do I like "morons".   I should be constructive here, then.  What term would I use?  Twits??

How about 'Darwin Award Contestants'?

"Award"may sound too positive to these people.  I have just looked up definition of "twit" for alternatives ...

a silly or foolish person.
synonyms:   fool, idiot, ass, halfwit, nincompoop, blockhead, buffoon, dunce, dolt, ignoramus, cretin, imbecile, dullard, moron, simpleton, clod; informaldope, ninny, chump, dimwit, nitwit, goon, dumbo, dummy, dum-dum, dumb-bell, loon, jackass, bonehead, fathead, numbskull, dunderhead, chucklehead, knucklehead, muttonhead, pudding-head, thickhead, wooden-head, airhead, pinhead, lamebrain, pea-brain, birdbrain, zombie, jerk, nerd, dipstick, donkey, noodle; informalnit, numpty, clot, goat, plonker, berk, prat, pillock, wally, git, wazzock, divvy, nerk, twerp, charlie, mug, muppet; informalnyaff, balloon, sumph, gowk; informalgobdaw; informalschmuck, bozo, boob, lamer, turkey, schlepper, chowderhead, dumbhead, goofball, goof, goofus, galoot, dork, lummox, klutz, putz, schlemiel, sap, meatball, gink, cluck, clunk, ding-dong, dingbat, wiener, weeny, dip, simp, spud, coot, palooka, poop, squarehead, yo-yo, dingleberry; informalwing nut; informaldrongo, dill, alec, galah, nong, bogan, poon, boofhead; informalmompara; vulgar slangknobhead; vulgar slangasshat; archaictomfool, noddy, clodpole, loggerhead, spoony, mooncalf
"she must think I'm a real twit"

I might go for "plonker" or "wazzock"

[ChrisB]

drongo for me

[JayMac]

'Muppets' is my go to epithet.

[eightonedee]

Just "fools" - no-one wants to be thought foolish (do they?)

There has been a poster campaign recently about keeping clear from the edge of the platform, but you would be forgiven for not noticing as you have to look quite closely to make out what the message is. I think the slogan is  "Beware of the Edge" which appears in white against a brightly coloured background - there are a series of them, featuring various broken items of personal belongings (pair of spectacles, mobile phone etc). There is a faint image of railway tracks in the background. Like too many current safety posters it's simply to subtle/"clever" to be any good - the "Ride Me Safe" posters on the escalators at Reading are another example. The message is lost.

There's an idea from France that might be brought in. There they have black life sized silhouettes along dangerous roads, one at each point along the road where someone has died in a recent accident. Perhaps this, coupled with a more direct poster campaign ("x no. people died trespassing on the railway between y and z last year"  with pictures of the deceased and a black silhouette?) which should not be confined to stations might drive the message home.

[ChrisB]

personally, that's really not a strong enough word to descibe them/their actions