Media centre

Thursday 25 Jun 2009

WOULD IT KILL YOU TO WAIT? (Gloucester)

Region & Route:

Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

HARD HITTING LEVEL CROSSING SAFETY MESSAGE DRIVEN ACROSS EUROPE

Network Rail today raises awareness of level crossing misuse at one of the West Counties' most misused public crossing - Horton Road, Gloucester – in support of a European level crossing day of action. The Don’t Run the Risk awareness day will see activities take place across 23 countries and nine most misused level crossings in Britain.

The team will be handing out leaflets that spell out the chilling truth that taking a chance at a level crossing might be the last thing you do, and pose the question: ‘would it kill you to wait?’

The awareness day, which aims to combat level crossing misuse and highlight the dangers of ignoring warning signs and barriers, is also supported by the British Transport Police, Gloucestershire Police, First Great Western and government agencies across Europe.

Over 600 people die at level crossings across Europe each year. In the West Country, there were nearly 200 level crossings incidents recorded last year and nine were near-misses, where trains narrowly avoided hitting motorists.

Horton Road is one of the 500 level crossings in the West Country but it has accounted for over 4% of all the incidents recorded, which is well above the average. Just last month, there were three incidents where people jumped the barriers at the crossing during a short period of four hours.

European Country/Total number of people killed by level-crossing accidents in 2008
Hungary 118
Germany 52
Czech Republic 43
Romania 42
Poland 40
France 38
Latvia 27
Austria 25
The Netherlands 18
Spain 17
Portugal 17
Slovakia 17
Great Britain 15

Network Rail’s hard hitting level crossing safety campaign ‘Don’t Run the Risk’ is beginning to have an impact on people’s behaviour, according to research conducted for the company by Millward Brown.

An online survey this spring found:

• Before the recent advertising campaign (November-February) 55% said they understood what not to do at level crossings, post the campaign this rose to 67%.
• 54% of people said that the advert had already influenced their behaviour at level crossings.
• 67% said that it would influence their behaviour at level crossings in the future.

Liz Heading, community safety manager at Network Rail said: “Jumping the gates, swerving around barriers and ignoring warning signs is sadly a sight we see all too often, and in many cases with tragic outcomes. We’re out today at Horton Road where misuse is high to try and hit home the message that running the risk at a level crossing is just not worth it. By trying to save a few seconds, you could end up losing your life.”

Chief Inspector Paul Richards, of BTP, said: “It is imperative that pedestrians and drivers do not take risks at rail crossings as we will continue to carry out operations to drive the message home. Rest assured that anyone who does misuse any level crossings will be prosecuted and dealt with in the strongest possible way by the courts. It is simply not worth risking your own life, or the lives of others, for the sake of trying to save 30 seconds or so in time.”

On the campaign research results, Mark Shaoul, head of marketing for Network Rail commented: “The impact we’ve had in driving recognition of the safety campaign with the recent bursts of activity has been phenomenal. We know that translating what people say they will do into real action will be the litmus test, but these results show us we are on the right track for helping to deliver. This, along with many other activities that the business is working on, will help to reduce level crossing incidents and needless injuries and deaths.”