Media centre

Thursday 6 Aug 2009

ESSEX KIDS GIVE THUMBS UP TO NO MESSIN’! LIVE

Region & Route:

| Eastern: Anglia

| Eastern

Over a thousand youngsters packed out Network Rail’s No Messin’! Live event at a sunny Festival Leisure Park in Basildon on Wednesday (5 August). The kids had a great time trying out free activities like DJing, motorcycling, basketball and football coaching from Southend United - and also learned important lessons about the dangers of playing on the railway.

The award-winning No Messin’! campaign aims to keep young people off the railway lines and provide them with fun alternatives to messing around on the tracks. The campaign is now in its fifth year and has helped to drive down railway crime in more than 100 ‘hotspot’ areas around the country.

Network Rail figures show that in the last year more than 400 incidents of trespass and vandalism by young people were recorded on the railway in Anglia. Seven of the top ten railway crime hotspots in the entire region were in south Essex, with Pitsea top of Anglia’s hall of shame. Incidents in the last year have included kids pelting trains with stones (see attached video) and young people risking their lives by taking shortcuts across the tracks (see attached video).

Despite these disturbing incidents, the No Messin’! campaign is seeing some significant successes. Overall, reported trespass and vandalism crimes are down around 13% on 2007 and in the 100 locations specifically targeted by Network Rail in the past year, crime is down 30%.

Anne-Marie Batson, who heads up Network Rail’s No Messin’! campaign in Anglia, said: "The combination of good weather and school holidays always results in an increase in trespass and vandalism on the railways by young people. The main reason for this is boredom so we aim to show kids that there are better things to do than messing around on the railway”.

"The railway can be a dangerous place and anyone trespassing or taking a short cut across the tracks is putting their life at risk. It can take the length of 20 football pitches for a fast train to stop and if you get hit by a train, there is only ever going to be one winner. Our campaign tries to make kids think twice about what they’re doing and will help save lives.

“We are delighted with the success of this event and would like to thank everybody involved for their continued support of our No Messin’! campaign.”

Boxing world champion Amir Khan spoke of his continued support for the campaign: “No Messin'! is great because, instead of just lecturing kids, it gives them the chance to get involved with something new for free. Once they’re interested and can see the alternatives that are out there, they’re much more likely to pay attention to the rail safety message.

“Young people need to know that messing about on the tracks is not what earns them respect. The young kids that I see in my community gym are learning a real skill in boxing, making friends and keeping out of trouble. I want young people to take a chance and try something new at a No Messin’! Live event, rather than on the railway, where all they’ll be doing is chancing their lives.”

Iain Coucher, Network Rail chief executive said: “We’re seeing some real success in bringing down the levels of railway crime in hotspot areas, but there is much more work to be done to save lives and prevent needless injury. We are working hard to tackle the most dangerous crimes where young people think it is fun to play ‘chicken’ with a 200 tonne train going at 100mph or place objects on the line, which could have catastrophic consequences.

“Over the spring and summer we’ve once again taken our No Messin’! campaign on tour to get young people involved in more exciting and fun stuff. That includes sports such as football and boxing, but also things they might never have tried before like archery, motorcycling and street dance. Once the events are over we continue to work with local clubs to sustain that interest and develop their skills and keep them off the tracks for good.”

Network Rail hopes that yesterday’s event and its ongoing work with local schools and youth organisations, as well as partners including the British Transport Police, train operators and local councils, will help cut the number of incidents in Basildon and south Essex.

British Transport Police (BTP) Chief Inspector Jason Bunyard said: “No Messin’! ties in perfectly with BTP’s summer holiday campaign - Operation Shellshock - which we are running in partnership with c2c to highlight the risks that are involved in committing railway crime.”

“Anyone who ventures on to railway should know that as well as risking a criminal record, they are also risking their life,” CI Bunyard added. “This event provides the perfect opportunity for us to work closely with Network Rail to further push the railway safety message and to actively engage with young people in the area.”

Julian Drury, managing director of c2c, said: “We’re pleased to be working with our partners at Network Rail, the British Transport Police and local councils to help explain to young people how to use the railway safely. Trespass and vandalism cause disruption to train services and inconvenience to our customers. It is very important to prevent these incidents. I’m sure events such as No Messin'! Live will have a positive impact on impressionable young people.”