Safety warning as people take short cut beside track
NETWORK RAIL is urging people to follow a designated diversion route when walking between Dawlish Warren and Dawlish, following several recent incidents of trespassing on the railway.
The organisation has recently received a number of reports of small groups of people who had been spotted trespassing on the railway just east of Dawlish station, at Coastguard breakwater.
In one instance, two individuals ignored safety advice and illegally trespassed on the railway underneath Coastguard footbridge, crossing the live railway tracks and climbing up on to Dawlish station platform two before departing the station. Another occurrence involved a group of three people bypassing the safety fencing at the perimeter of the new sea wall construction site at Coastguard breakwater, continuing their journey via climbing over construction equipment and walking through the working construction site, putting both themselves and railway workers at risk.
In a further instance, a train driver reported having to stop a train due to members of the public walking along the railway between Dawlish Warren and Dawlish in the path of the oncoming train.
The safety of passengers, railway workers and the public remain a primary focus, says Network Rail, and, in response to these recent trespassing instances, additional fencing has been installed.
Alison Kramer, community safety manager for Network Rail’s Western route, said: “It is shocking to see this blatant disregard for their own and other people’s safety. We appreciate some of our construction work can sometimes mean a diversion route needs to be put in place and this may cause disruption. However, these diversions and protective fencing are there to ensure people are kept safe.”