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Rail industry crackdown as trespassing criminals cause more than 3,300 hours of delays for passengers in a year: Trespass Crime NR Web-page 1200x675 Court

Rail industry crackdown as trespassing criminals cause more than 3,300 hours of delays for passengers in a year

Tuesday 29 Sep 2026
  • Trespass crime including cable theft, vandalism, and obstruction caused nearly five months of delays to passengers and cost the industry over £10 million in delay costs in 2025/26
  • Cable theft alone caused over 2,100 hours of delays and saw delay costs double to £6.8m in 2025/26 
  • New crackdown campaign sees rail industry and British Transport Police working closer together than ever in tackling trespass and railway crime  
  • New technology and better evidence gathering to bring more offenders to justice and reduce impact on passengers. 

Latest News

Trespassers on the railway in the North West cost nearly £6m last year: A trespass example on a disuses railway

Trespassers on the railway in the North West cost nearly £6m last year

Tuesday 29 Sep 2026

Trespassers on the railway in the North West cost the taxpayer nearly £6m in the last year, it has been revealed.

New warning lights and CCTV to transform Sportsfield level crossing: Sportsfield level crossing 2 cropped

New warning lights and CCTV to transform Sportsfield level crossing

Tuesday 29 Sep 2026

A level crossing which was closed over safety concerns after youngsters were spotted playing “chicken” with trains will reopen after a significant upgrade, Network Rail can confirm.

New details announced for multi-million-pound investment to boost reliability of North Wales Coast railway: Railway at Conwy Network Rail

New details announced for multi-million-pound investment to boost reliability of North Wales Coast railway

Tuesday 29 Sep 2026

This once-in-a-generation programme will deliver years’ worth of improvements during a four-week railway closure in January 2027.

Rail industry crackdown as trespassing criminals cause more than 3,300 hours of delays for passengers in a year: Trespass Crime NR Web-page 1200x675 Court

Rail industry crackdown as trespassing criminals cause more than 3,300 hours of delays for passengers in a year

Tuesday 29 Sep 2026
  • Trespass crime including cable theft, vandalism, and obstruction caused nearly five months of delays to passengers and cost the industry over £10 million in delay costs in 2025/26
  • Cable theft alone caused over 2,100 hours of delays and saw delay costs double to £6.8m in 2025/26 
  • New crackdown campaign sees rail industry and British Transport Police working closer together than ever in tackling trespass and railway crime  
  • New technology and better evidence gathering to bring more offenders to justice and reduce impact on passengers. 
Footage released from £1.1m tunnel track upgrade near Buxton: Freight maintenance train inside Eaves Tunnel September 2026

Footage released from £1.1m tunnel track upgrade near Buxton

Monday 28 Sep 2026

Videos have been released of a major project in Derbyshire to upgrade lines inside a 400-metre-long Victorian railway tunnel.

Transpennine Route Upgrade Community Fund now open for applications: CF25 Recipient - Rise in Unity, Huddersfield

Transpennine Route Upgrade Community Fund now open for applications

Monday 28 Sep 2026

Communities across the North are being encouraged to apply for a share of £270,000 as the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) opens applications for the third year of its Community Fund.

Sheffield bridge replacement will affect a weekend of passenger services: Sheaf bridge pic aerial cropped

Sheffield bridge replacement will affect a weekend of passenger services

Friday 25 Sep 2026

Passenger services will be affected when the reconstruction of a bridge deck takes place in Sheffield.

Green light for lifts and new footbridge at Wellington station: Wellington Station-2

Green light for lifts and new footbridge at Wellington station

Friday 25 Sep 2026

Plans to make Wellington station step-free have been approved, with work to install two lifts and a new footbridge set to begin later this year.