Media centre

Monday 6 Jul 2009

SHOCK COFFIN POSTERS WARN SCOTS - STAY OFF THE TRACKS OR RISK DEATH

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

A hard-hitting poster campaign warning Scots to stay off the tracks is to be launched at the country’s two largest railway stations today.

The campaign is illustrated using coffin-shaped railway sleepers featuring plaques describing how trespassers met their fate.

With 144 incidents of trespass reported at Network Rail’s 18 managed stations in 2008, the potential for serious injury or death is truly shocking. While some incidents were reported after people dropped mobile phones, hats, bags or spectacles onto the track, the majority of incidents occurred because people were trying to save themselves a few seconds getting from one platform to another.

The worst station for platform to platform trespass was Leeds with 30 incidents in 2008. In Scotland, Edinburgh Waverley recorded 13 incidents while Glasgow Central high level recorded six.

The posters which ask “what price your life?” aim to raise awareness of the very real dangers of trespassing on the railway and come ahead of Network Rail’s summer No Messin’ Live campaign in Scotland. The two free events, in Livingston on 22 July and in Hamilton on 24 July aim to raise awareness of the dangers of playing near the railway while providing kids with more fun, productive ways to fill their time.

Last year there were around 9,000 reported incidents of trespass on Britain’s railway, although the true figure is thought to be much higher. Whilst the majority of incidents occur along the 20,000 miles of track between stations and at level crossings, platform to platform trespass at stations is a significant problem that train drivers, station staff and transport police have to deal with.

Mark Henderson, Network Rail’s community safety manager for Scotland said:

“We’ve had some success in bringing down the number of incidents across the network, and new CCTV facilities at Waverley and Central have helped, but we cannot be complacent, and that is why we’re launching this poster campaign to highlight the very real dangers of trespassing on the railway.

“We’re also seeing a lot of incidents happen after 9pm, when maybe after a night out, people’s judgement isn’t at its best. You wouldn’t step out in front of a speeding car to retrieve a mobile phone or a bag you’d dropped, so why jump onto the tracks as a train approaches? I think these posters make it crystal clear that you are risking your life by trespassing on the railway and we hope to reduce the number of incidents further and ultimately save lives.”

British Transport Police Chief Superintendent Operations, David Wildbore said:

“It is always dangerous for a member of the public to step onto the tracks – trains operate 24 hours a day across the network and busy stations are subject to alterations in train movements at a moments notice.

“A missed train or lost mobile phone is a minor inconvenience when compared to the risk of death or the kind of serious, life changing injuries people suffer when the have been hit by a train.

“My advice is simple: Never step on to the tracks to take a shortcut and if you drop something onto the track, ask rail staff for assistance – they will always do their best to retrieve your item.

“Trespassing is an offence which we take extremely seriously because of the dangers involved. British Transport Police welcome any initiative which seeks to reduce incidents and where practical we will prosecute offenders.”