Media centre

Monday 9 Mar 2009

HIGH SPEED SAFETY CAMPAIGN TARGETS SOUTH EAST YOUNGSTERS

Region & Route:

| Southern

A joint initiative aimed at preventing needless and tragic deaths of young people has today been launched by Network Rail, the British Transport Police (BTP) and High Speed 1. More than 300 schools and youth groups in Kent, Essex and Greater London will learn about the dangers of the high speed railway between St Pancras International and the Channel Tunnel.

A special 12-minute DVD has been produced to highlight some of the very specific dangers posed by trains travelling on High Speed 1, the UK’s first high speed railway. It features a series of demonstrations by the ‘Trainiacs’ which are designed to show in a simple, but impactful way some of the hazards posed by trains which travel at up to 186mph -more than double the speed of most domestic rail services in the South East.

The DVD, which forms part of Network Rail’s ‘No Messin’ campaign, communicates important facts and figures about the speed of high-speed trains, the turbulence they create, how quiet they are, their stopping distance and a graphic demonstration using watermelons to show what would happen if someone got struck by a train. It also shows how electricity can jump through the air and shows the consequences of throwing stones at trains.

Anne-Marie Batson, community safety manager at Network Rail, said: “Part of my role is to talk to young people and the wider community about the consequences of messing about on the railway. It is madness for young people to play on any railway line, but owing to the fact the high-speed trains are bigger, faster and quieter, we have developed this initiative to highlight some of the specific dangers associated with them. We hope that by getting these messages across we can help prevent a needless tragedy.”

Chief Superintendent Mark Newton, of the British Transport Police, said: “Through proactive patrols along the line of route, close engagement with local police forces and initiatives such as this DVD, we aim to reinforce the simple message that the railway is not a playground.

“Trespassing on or interfering with the railway is extremely dangerous and you could end up with a criminal record as a result. There are a range of penalties, from a fine, right up to a prison sentence that can be handed down, however the greatest deterrent should be the fact that you could be seriously injured or even lose your life.

“High-Speed 1 is a low-crime environment and has an excellent safety record,” Chief Supt Newton added. “We intend to help keep it that way.”

Ben Ruse from High Speed 1, which owns this stretch of railway, said: “We very much welcome being part of Network Rail’s campaign. In an environment where you have a unique combination of 800 tonne trains doing over 80 metres per second with power lines that are carrying 25,000 volts, there would be no chance of survival if you come into contact with either of them. You might as well play football on the motorway. We will always push for the toughest penalties for anyone caught trespassing on High Speed 1.”

Swan Valley Community School in Swanscombe is located a few hundred metres from Ebbsfleet International station on High Speed 1. Assistant head teacher Paul Hodson is very aware of the potential dangers the railway poses and was pleased for the school’s pupils to take part in focus groups to help devise the content for the DVD. He said: “We welcomed the arrival of the high speed railway to our community, as it opens up opportunities in London and on the continent. However, it is important our pupils learn to respect the dangers of trespassing on the railway or misusing it any other way. Any resource which helps us get this message is very welcome, and the DVD certainly does this. You could have heard a pin drop when our students watched it.”