Media centre

Wednesday 9 Mar 2005

MEDIA INVITATION: KIDS NEED TO WRESTLE WITH THEIR CONSCIENCES

Region & Route:

National

Date:                           Monday 14 March 2005 Time:                          10:30am Location:                    Concourse for platforms 8-14, Victoria Station, London Event:                         Wrestling demonstration by DJ Spoony and four young people Media contact:          Mel Varcoe - 020 7557 8105 DJ Spoony of BBC Radio 1 and Five Live fame, has teamed up with Network Rail and the British Wrestling Association to encourage children and young people to focus on sport and activities rather than playing on railway tracks. Monday 14 March will see the national launch of a 2005 campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of rail crime. The launch event will involve DJ Spoony turning his hand to wrestling. Part of this is Network Rail’s ‘No Messin’!’ campaign, which aims to educate young people on the dangers of the railway while suggesting alternative healthy, fun activities. Iain Coucher, Network Rail’s Deputy Chief Executive, said “Last year 34 people died on railway tracks – that’s 34 too many. Each one represents a tragic story of ignoring all the warnings that the railway is not a place to hang around, use as a short-cut or play on. The school holidays, especially Easter and summer, are a time when such incidents are on the rise and we need to hammer home the railway safety message in an effort to prevent further tragedies.” There are an estimated 27 million cases of trespass on Britain’s railways every year, including 640,000 objects placed on the tracks and four million objects thrown at trains.  Young people commit many of these crimes; so with Easter holidays fast approaching, it is vital Network Rail spreads the message that their actions can cause injury and death – not only to themselves but to others too. Iain Coucher continued: “As the infrastructure owner, we have a responsibility to spread the message that the railway can be a dangerous place.  You wouldn’t try to use a motorway as a short cut or a place to hang out – so why the railway?  Our message is clear: No Messin’.” A team of qualified coaches from the British Wrestling Association will then tour the country offering wrestling sessions to children and young people in rail crime ‘hotspot’ areas – spreading the No Messin’ message. This national launch marks the beginning of a year long programme of events, concentrated in hotspot areas – such as Kent, Cardiff and Manchester. These will include school visits, after-school clubs, Football in the Community and safety days. Interested parties will be attending a conference organised by the Rail Safety & Standards Board entitled ‘Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour on Britain’s rail network’, in Birmingham on 16 March.