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Thursday 17 Jul 2008

BRITAIN'S WORST RAIL CRIME HOTSPOTS REVEALED

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National

- Champion boxer Amir Khan supports launch of summer campaign to save lives

Figures revealing the nation’s worst ten areas for rail crime were published today by Network Rail. The figures come as Network Rail launched its summer 2008 campaign to combat rail crime – No Messin’ Live! – headed by Commonwealth lightweight boxing champion Amir Khan.

No Messin’ Live! is a series of free two-day events held across Britain during the school holidays when rail crime peaks. No Messin’ gives young people the chance to try a range of new activities and steer them away from the dangers of playing on the tracks.

The national launch of No Messin’ Live! will take place in Leeds – the nation’s No.1 hotspot for railway crime in 2007 – today and sees the champion boxer trying something new himself by swapping his boxing gloves for drum sticks and playing a track with up-and-coming teenage band The Irregulars. Together they will show how anyone can uncover a talent by trying something new.

Commenting on the campaign, Amir said: “It's really important that young people realise they can be a winner just by taking part. No Messin' is a great campaign because it gives kids the chance to try something new for free as well as promoting the rail safety message.

“If you mess about on the railways the best you can hope for is that you won't get injured, arrested or even killed. By finding a real interest like I did you could be an Olympic athlete or even a number one recording artist... but you won't find out unless you try.”

Martin Gallagher, who heads up No Messin’ for Network Rail added: “Too many young people’s lives are lost or ruined because they decided to take a short cut or take risks on the tracks. Thousands of kids will get the chance to try something much more fun at No Messin’ Live! this summer such as canoeing, rock climbing, street dance, archery, kickboxing, wrestling and motorcycling. We hope to grab their interest, and working with local clubs, sustain that interest to develop their skills and keep them off the tracks for good. This way we can work to reduce rail crime and ultimately save lives.”

In 2007:

• There were over 15,000 reported incidents of railway crime in around 3,500 places across Britain – although it is estimated that the true figure is much higher as much goes unreported. There were 225 reported incidents in Leeds alone, with trespass the biggest problem in the area.
• Over 2,200 objects were placed on tracks across Britain, and
• Nearly 3,000 missiles were thrown or fired at trains

In the last five years there were 256 accidental public fatalities on Britain’s railways (56 in 2007) with one in four of someone aged eight to 18. There was also on average 806 near misses with trains. Half of all near misses involved children.

Near misses can happen when people crossing the tracks underestimate the speed of an oncoming train; mistakenly believe a train is stopping at a station or think trains have stopped running at night. Trespass crimes in 2007 range from people taking short cuts, crossing from platform to platforms at stations rather than using footbridges or subways, walking home along the tracks, to more serious incidents of kids playing ‘chicken’ with trains, dodging out of the way at the last second. Such incidents can leave drivers traumatised as they are unable to break in time to avoid hitting those who may not correctly judge the speed of the train.