Media centre

Wednesday 11 Jun 2003

WEEK-LONG CAMPAIGN PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON RAIL CRIME

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Cut crime on the railways - that is the message being given as part of a campaign by Network Rail and partners of the National Route Crime Group to draw attention to railway crime.             A series of measures are being taken in the region to tie in with the National Railway Crime Week, which runs from June 15 to 22. Bristol and Cardiff are the areas worst affected by railway crime in the region and National Railway Crime Week is aimed at drawing attention to the human and financial cost. There will be a poster campaign at Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff Central stations. A series of adverts warning of the dangers of railway crime will be running on Vibe FM, which covers Avon and South Wales. Also, as part of the week of activities, the ‘eye-in-the-sky’ helicopter will be at the 999 Lifeskills event on June 18 in the West of England showground at Shepton Mallet. Although stationary, the helicopter will enable children to see how Network Rail tries to crack down on railway crime. Also there will be the Incident Command Vehicle – called out for reported railway crime – and Network Rail staff will run an information stand and give out leaflets to visitors. -more- Railway crime - 2 Other measures, which happen throughout the year, include: ·        A link up with Bristol Rovers FC, where the community team delivers an anti-railway crime message when they visit schools for coaching sessions ·        A scheme with Glamorgan County Cricket Club, where cricket coaching for youngsters is linked to an anti-railway crime message ·        Operation Skyhawk – the helicopter which regularly patrols the skies above the Great Western region looking for offenders ·        A link-up now being developed with Cardiff City Football Club ·        On-going programme of fencing improvements ·        Use of CCTV at crime hot spots Paul Denton, Network Rail’s route crime manager, said: “Action is being taken throughout the year to tackle the problem of railway crime, the majority of which is perpetrated by young people. By holding a second annual National Railway Crime Week we get the chance to highlight this problem and ask members of the public to help us combat it – either by reporting incidents to the British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or by thinking twice before they do something themselves, such as trespassing on the track.” National measures being taken include leaflets being sent out to every primary and secondary school asking them to reinforce the railway safety message to children.