Media centre

Thursday 17 Mar 2005

NO MESSIN’ ON THE RAILWAY

Region & Route:

Blackburn Rovers player, Lucas Neil, supported the launch of a safety campaign that is warning children across the country about the dangers of playing on and near the railway. The launch took place at Avondale School in Darwen, one of the worst hotspots for railway crime in the North West. The school was chosen because it is next to the railway and they have been very keen to put across the safety message. Alex Pilling, External Liaison Officer (North West), said: “We are extremely proud to be working in partnership with Blackburn Rovers and are confident Lucas Neil will help us reinforce the message of the dangers of playing on or near the railway.” Details of local sporting events and competitions aimed at educating young people on railway safety, along with exciting chances to win an i-Pod, will soon be available on www.no-messin.com. Following a presentation by Network Rail’s External Liaison Officer, Alex Pilling, on railway safety, Lucas Neil reinforced the safety message by discussing the dangers of railway crime with the children. These are two of the initiatives Network Rail has set up in an attempt to further reduce railway crime committed by giving children and young people an alternative to playing on the railways The ’No Messin’ campaign will complement the educational work already being carried out in schools and youth groups by Network Rail External Liaison Officers and the Football in the Community scheme, where the company works closely with football clubs in areas with hotspots of railway crime, with top coaches spelling out the serious consequences of playing on the railways. Darwen is currently the top railway crime hotspot for Lancashire, and Network Rail is working hard with the Football in the Community programme and sponsorship of Blackburn Rovers to reverse this disturbing trend. Blackburn Rovers are actively working in local schools with coaching programmes, making children aware of why they are working with Network Rail to reduce railway crime. Recent incidents in the Darwen area include several reports of youths placing debris on the tracks ands trains being bricked. The event at Avondale ties in with a programme of school visits in the area by Network Rail’s External Liaison Officers. Every year hundreds of children get injured and killed playing on the railway. For those who survive, many are left with horrific burns or scars after they are electrocuted and some lose limbs after being hit by trains. Vandalism on the railway, which is mainly committed by children and young people, costs the rail industry £264 million each year. Thousands of objects are placed on the track in front of trains each year. Some of these objects are placed there by children ‘just to see what happens’ but research has shown they often move on to using larger objects such as gas canisters, concrete blocks, scaffolding, rubbish bins and even stolen vehicles.