SHOW VISITORS TOLD “DON’T RUN THE RISK”

Wednesday 12 Jul 2006

SHOW VISITORS TOLD “DON’T RUN THE RISK”

Region & Route:

Visitors to Nantwich and South Cheshire Show (26 July) will be told by Network Rail not to run the risk when it comes to using level crossings. The owner of Britain’s railway infrastructure will bring its national advertising campaign to stand 69 in the Mornflake Pavilion where staff will be on hand to warn visitors about the danger to themselves and others when they misuse level crossings. The £3m campaign to highlight the danger of level crossing misuse features extensive nationwide and local advertising including spots on television and radio, and more than one million households have been targeted to receive information leaflets. The hard-hitting advertisements are an element of the most extensive public safety campaign ever run by the rail industry. The message is simple – level crossings are safe if used correctly – but if you run the risk the cost can be fatal. This sustained campaign aims to change the behaviour of level crossing users – to protect themselves and reduce the danger to train passengers. Although deaths at level crossings in the UK are low by international standards, crossing misuse now represents the largest single risk of train accident on the railway. John Armitt, Network Rail’s Chief Executive said: “Too many people die at level crossings every year – it is a senseless waste of life. Level crossings are safe if used correctly, but misuse them and your chance of surviving being hit by a train is virtually zero. “The seriousness we attach to this campaign is indicated by the extensive investment. It aims to shake the complacency of level crossing users who endanger themselves and others. We are telling them not to run the risk.” The television advertisement dramatises the consequences to motorists of level crossing misuse. The emotive film graphically portrays the damage that a train inflicts on a family car that has been struck on a crossing. The film is only one aspect of a campaign specifically targeted at ‘hot spot’ areas – places where there are higher numbers of level crossing incidents. All media channels will be used including television, radio, cinema, online, outdoor posters, newspaper advertisements and direct marketing. 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 television and radio advertisements will be followed by direct marketing and print and poster advertisements throughout the summer.

Notes to editors

Level Crossing stats: • Level crossings are safe if used correctly • There are 7,674 level crossings in UK, with some 1,500 on public roads • 680 million vehicles use level crossings each year Scale of the problem: • At least four people chance their lives at levels crossings each day through misuse • One person a month is killed at level crossings, 13 in 2005 and in 2005: • In 2005 there were 229 near misses reported at level crossings and almost 1,200 reports of misuse • In 2005 there were 16 collisions between trains and road vehicles, resulting in four fatalities (all vehicle occupants). None led to a train derailment The culprits: • 96% of accidents at level crossings are caused by misuse – i.e. drivers ignoring red signals, barriers and klaxons • Males account for 73% of level crossing deaths • 67% of the fatalities are aged 31 and over The dangers: • Road vehicles misusing level crossings are the single biggest risk to the railway of a major train crash • Between a car and a train there will only ever be one winner • Misuse is predominantly deliberate violations • Misuse peaks during the summer months with most accidents happening in daylight hours during rush hour General: • UK deaths at level crossings are low by international standards – amongst the lowest in Europe and worldwide • The most serious recent level crossing accident was at Ufton Nervet, nr Reading (6 November 2004, seven killed) The campaign: • TV, radio, cinema, online and newspaper ad campaign started on Thursday 18 May • TV ad will be shown on ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5, Sky 1, ITV2, ITV4, E4 plus various satellite stations • This £3 million campaign is estimated to reach two-thirds of the adult population of the UK • One million residents surrounding the 100 most abused levels crossings in the country have been targeted through an extensive leaflet campaign

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

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Journalists
Network Rail press office - North West & Central Region
0330 854 0100
NWCmediarelations@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.

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