Trespass on rail lines at all-time high
TRESPASSING on railways in Wales has hit an all-time high, raising concern for young people’s safety as electrification work progresses.
Last year alone there were 524 reported incidents in Wales, more than one every day.
Andy Thomas, route managing director for Network Rail Wales, said: “Every April we see a huge rise in the number of people taking a risk on the rail network and it’s worrying that these numbers seem to be going up.
“It may seem harmless to take a shortcut or fun to play on the tracks, but this is not only illegal, it is also very dangerous.
“As the railway gets busier and we electrify the South Wales mainline to improve services, we must work harder to keep young people safe by making them aware of the dangers.
“Taking a short cut or messing around on the tracks can result in serious life-changing injuries or death.”
Research also shows that young people are more likely to trespass and take a risk on the tracks, with peaks in the number of people caught coinciding with the school holidays.
Chief Inspector Mark Cleland, of British Transport Police in Wales, said: “We believe the number of children we encounter trespassing every year is sadly just the tip of the iceberg.
“Every single day we are called to the tracks because a train driver has had to sound their horn or apply their emergency brake in a desperate bid to avoid youths on the line.”
British Transport Police in Wales is educating young people about the dangers of trespassing with their five-a-side football tournaments.
Chief Inspector Cleland said: “For the past six years we have rolled out this message to around 3,000 children via our Railway Safety Cup five-aside football tournaments.
“The event aims to educate young people about the dangers of the railway and trespass in an engaging manner outside of the usual classroom environment.
“Each team of Year Eight pupils receives an interactive safety presentation from Community Support Officers including officers funded by the Welsh Government, while Network Rail brings its Safety 365 truck to each event, where pupils are able to learn about the railway environment and put their knowledge to the test.”
The new figures also highlight that youths trespassing on tracks is more common in areas where there is higher socio-economic deprivation.
To help curb this problem, Network Rail has teamed up with children’s charity Barnardo’s.
Geraint Morgan, community relations manager at Arriva Trains Wales, said: “Network Rail has also joined forces with children’s charity Barnardo’s to deliver safety education in specific areas of need and where trespass rates are high.
“The organisation will be raising money for the charity and encouraging their staff to volunteer and help deliver these safety events.”