MEDIA INVITE - LEEDS TRAVELLERS URGED NOT TO RUN THE RISK

Friday 3 Aug 2007

MEDIA INVITE - LEEDS TRAVELLERS URGED NOT TO RUN THE RISK

Region & Route:

Network Rail will unveil a new interactive stand designed to bring home the dangers of level crossing misuse at Leeds station on Monday 6 August. Passengers and visitors to the station will be able to learn more about level crossings from Network Rail experts. Also they will be invited to play ‘What’s the risk?’ an interactive video game that tests the knowledge of both drivers and pedestrians on the correct use of level crossings. Network Rail's 'Don’t Run the Risk' campaign is now in its second year. Designed to highlight the severe risks drivers, cyclists and pedestrians take in ignoring the warning signs at level crossings; it includes TV, radio and print advertising as well as awareness days. The safety team will be on the concourse of Leeds station from 9am to 4pm on Monday 6 August. A media spokesman will be available from 2 to 3pm but you are welcome to attend at any time. Neil Henry, Network Rail's Area General Manager, said: “These awareness days represent a great opportunity to spread the Don’t Run the Risk message to a wide audience. “Our message to drivers, pedestrians and cyclists is clear - level crossings are safe if used correctly, but misuse them and your chance of surviving being hit by a train is virtually zero.” Inspector Tracy Metcalf of British Transport Police, said: “Our main concern is for the safety of those who use level crossings. We are more interested in preventing accidents and saving lives than enforcement and fines. "Most accidents are as a result of impatience; not being prepared to wait and trying to beat the train. For the sake of 60 seconds, a little patience can prevent lives being ruined." Level crossing misuse now represents the largest single risk of a train accident on the railway.

Notes to editors

Network Rail’s Don’t Run the Risk campaign was launched in May 2006. The aim is to change the behaviour of level crossing users – to protect themselves and reduce the danger to train passengers. The work on this campaign is running in parallel with other Network Rail and industry initiatives to minimise the safety risk at level crossings. These include: • Development of solutions which could lead to the replacement of some crossings • Development of obstacle detection systems • Development of lower cost level crossing systems • Developing better and cost-effective ways of detecting and recording level crossings misuse • Working with the Police and Crown Prosecution Service to improve the prosecution of offenders • Highlighting the issues of level crossings to key political stakeholders

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries

Journalists
Network Rail press office -London North Eastern & East Midlands route
01904 383180
mediarelations@networkrail.co.uk

About Network Rail

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.

Media centre