RAIL SAFETY MESSAGES AT THE NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM : No Messin'! Live logo - colour

Thursday 18 Oct 2007

RAIL SAFETY MESSAGES AT THE NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM

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Network Rail is taking its modern safety messages to a week long event at the National Railway Museum in York. "Triumphs and Tragedies" runs from 20-28 October, giving visitors the chance to find out more about some of the dramatic episodes that have been an historic part of Britain’s railways. Network Rail is sending representatives from their level crossing and young people safety teams to give the serious message behind the fun event. "Don't Run the Risk" is a national campaign designed to highlight the severe risks drivers, cyclists and pedestrians take in ignoring the warning signs at level crossings. A new interactive stand which is touring the country as part of the campaign will be on display. Visitors 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. A wrecked car which featured in the adverts showing the consequences of misuse will also be at the Museum during the week. No Messin', powered by Network Rail, aims to raise awareness of railway safety amongst young people by giving them ideas about positive ways to spend their time, rather than play on the railway. Members of the railway crime education team will also be on hand to offer information and advice to young people. Network Rail's Area General Manger, Neil Henry, said: "It is really important that these safety messages reach as wide an audience as possible. This fun and engaging event at the National Railway Museum is a great opportunity for us to do just that in a relaxed but informative environment. "As national rail infrastructure operator we take our responsibilities for safety very seriously. These campaigns we are highlighting are aimed at encouraging the public to do all they can to help us keep themselves and the railway safe."

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 The No Messin' campaign is a year round initiative aimed at changing the behaviours of young people. Network Rail has a team of dedicated Railway Crime Education Managers working closely with other parts of the railway industry, offering railway safety information and visiting schools, young offending teams, youth clubs and local authorities throughout the UK. Further information about both campaigns can be found in the Network Rail media centre - http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/content/default.asp?NewsAreaID=17

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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.

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.

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