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Monday 21 Mar 2005

SKATEBOARDERS SAY ‘NO MESSIN’ ON THE RAILWAY

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Last week saw Network Rail’s new ‘No Messin’ campaign – a campaign designed to keep young people off the tracks – get off to a flying start.  The company teamed up with ExParks Skatepark at Xscape, Castleford, to teach pupils from Featherstone High School some new skateboarding skills. Twenty pupils from Featherstone High School joined, Network Rail, the ExParks team, Graeme Smith from Galaxy 105 and rugby league players from Castleford Tigers for a skateboarding extravaganza. The ‘No Messin’ campaign is aimed at 10 to 16 year olds and is designed to encourage youngsters to get their kicks through sporting and recreational activities, rather than messing around on the railway risking life and limb. Crime and vandalism on the railway is estimated to cost the industry £264 million per year.  This includes damage to trains and infrastructure as well as indirect costs such as policing, delays to train journeys and the shock and trauma experienced by rail staff following trespass accidents.  Last year saw 27 million cases of trespass. Dyan Crowther, Route Director, Network Rail said: Every year children are killed and injured on our railways.  Each one is a tragic story of ignoring all the warnings that the railway is not a place to hang around, use as a short cut or play on. “We are delighted to have teamed up with Exparks Skatepark to launch No Messin’.  This is a great example of what children should be doing – having fun in a safe environment.” Ed Reeve, Skate Park Manager at the Ex Park all-weather Skatepark at Xscape comments: “We are really glad to have teamed up with Network Rail for their launch as we believe that kids will get a great buzz from learning to skateboard and enjoy hanging out with other skaters, either here or outside.  Skateboarding offers kids a fun and challenging pastime which they can enjoy almost anywhere and the indoor Ex- park offers a safe park with Woodward ramps and kicking sound system whatever the weather.”