NETWORK RAIL ASKS LYDNEY ‘WOULD IT KILL YOU TO WAIT?’

Friday 2 Jul 2010

NETWORK RAIL ASKS LYDNEY ‘WOULD IT KILL YOU TO WAIT?’

Region & Route:: Southern: Wessex; | Southern

Network Rail is targeting level crossing hotspots at Lydney on 2 July to warn users of the dangers of ignoring warning signs at level crossings.

The level crossing in Lydney in Gloucestershire is among the most misused in the region with a shocking record of 23 incidents of misuse in the last year.

The awareness event forms part of Network Rail’s ongoing Don’t Run the Risk campaign and is also supported by the British Transport Police.

Tragically, hundreds of people are killed globally every year, after taking chances by running red lights, swerving barriers or ignoring warning signs.

Alan Milne, Network Rail’s community safety manager for Wales said: “We have a good safety record in comparison to many other countries but even one death is one too many. Jumping the lights and ignoring warning signs is sadly a sight we see all too often. Level crossings are safe, but if misused, they all pose very real risks.

“Today’s awareness day gives us another opportunity to drive home the message that running the risk at a level crossing is just not worth it. By trying to save a few seconds, you could end up seriously hurt or losing your life.”

Throughout the day the team will monitor the crossings at Lydney and speak to pedestrians and drivers about misuse, offering advice and information on how to stay safe on the railway.

They will also be handing out leaflets that spell out the chilling truth of taking chances at level crossings, and pose the question: ‘Would it kill you to wait?’

Notes to editors

1. Facts about level crossings
- Level crossings are safe if used correctly
- 95% of accidents at level crossings are caused by misuse or error– i.e. drivers ignoring red signals, barriers and klaxons
- There are over 7,600 level crossings both on public and private land that cut across the UK railway network.

Britain - National level crossing incidents - 2009:

3,242 recorded incidents of misuse or error (2008 = 3479)
14 collisions between vehicles and trains (2008 = 20)
13 deaths (2008 = 15)
140 near misses between motor vehicles and trains = nearly 3 a week

2. Don’t Run the Risk Campaign
Network Rail has a public safety awareness campaign on level crossings - Don't Run the Risk. The campaign has been running since 2006 and includes hard hitting TV and radio advertising that illustrates in graphic detail the tragic consequences of misusing level crossings by both motorists and pedestrians.

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 - South East route
020 3357 7969
southeastroutecomms@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