LEVEL CROSSING CAMPAIGN SHIFTS INTO TOP GEAR (RESCHEDULED)

Thursday 22 Feb 2007

LEVEL CROSSING CAMPAIGN SHIFTS INTO TOP GEAR (RESCHEDULED)

Region & Route:: National

What happens to a 'safe' family car on a level crossing when a train hits it at high speed? Viewers of Top Gear will find out, this Sunday, when it broadcasts a unique event set up by Network Rail to highlight the dangers of level crossing misuse. For the first time in over a decade, a staged crash involving a train was carried out in Britain. The event has a serious purpose - to graphically show to motorists the consequences of running the risk at level crossings. Overseen by Jeremy Clarkson, a people carrier is parked on a level crossing on an operational part of the railway in rural Lincolnshire. Safely supervised by Network Rail specialists, an unmanned, 107-tonne, Class 31 diesel locomotive is set off by remote control. It hurtles towards the car at speeds of approaching 70mph. The aftermath is shocking. Iain Coucher, Network Rail's Deputy Chief Executive said: "Though light-hearted in tone, the message is serious: Don't run the risk at level crossings. Our people worked hard for months to safely plan this staged event and the results are breathtaking. Level crossings are safe if used correctly so don't misuse them." The event is one of the high points of a multi-million pound awareness campaign by Network Rail under the 'Don't run the risk' banner. This has included nationwide and local advertising including spots on television and radio and more than one million households were targeted to receive information leaflets. This is the most extensive public safety campaign ever run by the rail industry.

Notes to editors

The show is broadcast on BBC TWO, 8pm Sunday 25 February. It was initially due to be aired earlier this month, but was postponed by the BBC.

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We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.

Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.

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