Tuesday 29 May 2007
HALF-TERM RAIL CRIME WARNING
- Region & Route:
Shattered glass, near misses and the potential risk to life. These are the terrifying consequences of stone and missile throwing on the railway. In the last month alone there have been over 30 incidents in the East Midlands area. Network Rail together with its industry partners is issuing a warning to young people this half term to stay clear of the railway as the trend for trespass and vandalism in the East Midlands has increased this year. Network Rail's Area General Manager, Tom Birch said: "The East Midlands is a rail crime hotspot, and it's disturbing that these incidents continue to occur. Just last month a shopping trolley was placed on the line in Derby, causing serious damage to a train. As well as putting passengers at risk, the perpetrators are risking their own lives by messing around on the railway. "We don't want anyone to risk their lives on the railway this summer. We will be reiterating this message and offering young people alternative activities to these mindless acts of vandalism when our No Messin'! Live event comes to Derby in August." These types of incidents also have devastating effects on train drivers. Central Trains, Operations Manager, Andy Thomas added: "Throwing stones or any missiles at a train is an incredibly dangerous act. It puts the lives of passengers and staff at serious risk. We are committed to catching and prosecuting the culprits in each and every case. When we do so, the missile-throwers can expect a court case and a sentence that reflects the severity of the crime." Inspector Alan Radford from British Transport Police, Sector Commander for the Nottingham, Derbyshire and Leicestershire area based at Nottingham said "Throwing stones or objects of any sort at trains is dangerous and completely unacceptable. "This type of crime can lead to serious injury, derailments and can be potentially fatal. Even a small stone dropped from a bridge meeting a train travelling at 100 mph can kill. "I hope parents will encourage children not to see the railway environment as a playground, and give consideration to the innocent people that are affected by this type of crime." Anyone with information about crime on the railway system should call BTP on freefone 0800 405040.
Notes to editors
There have already been 365 incidents of trespass and vandalism in the East Midlands in 2007. These Include: - 189 incidents of trespass - 16 near misses - 62 incidents of stone and missile throwing - 56 incidents of obstruction (placing objects on the line) - 29 incidents of vandalism Five young people (all under 16) died on the railway in the Great Britain last year as a result of trespass Network Rail is committed to combating trespass and vandalism by the following initiatives: No Messin'! a national campaign to stop young people messing around on the railway tracks, and reduce the number of resultant deaths and injuries by getting them doing something better with their time. More details at: http://www.no-messin.com No Messin'! Live, is a free activity event that will be hitting The Moorways Centre in Derby on the 13 & 14 August. Dedicated Railway Crime Education Managers visit schools and road shows educating young people about the dangers of the railway. We will be targeting schools in the Brickfields area to warn children about the dangers of playing on the railway
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