Monday 8 Aug 2005

PHOTOCALL: MP SUPPORTS FIGHT AGAINST RAILWAY CRIME

Region & Route:
| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders
| Wales & Western
Date:               Tuesday 9 August Time:              11am Location:        Alstone Level Crossing, Cheltenham Journalists and photographers are invited to attend a summer safety initiative to raise awareness about the dangers of trespassing on the railway, which is being supported by Martin Horwood, MP for Cheltenham. Andy Hancock, General Manager for the West Country, said: “In the past 12 months, there have been over 40 reported railway crime incidents in the Cheltenham area and over 50 incidents of level crossing mis-use at Alstone level crossing.  These range from trespass and vandalism, to placing objects on the track and throwing stones at trains – all of which could lead to serious consequences. “As the infrastructure owner, Network Rail has 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’”.

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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.

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