Children warned to stay off South West railway tracks after rise in 'dangerous' trespass incidents

Trespass incident at Brookthorpe level crossing, Gloucestershire Credit: Network Rail

Network Rail is warning people to stay off railway tracks over the half term break, after a rise in the number of trespass incidents across the South West.

Since April, more than 250 people have risked their lives on tracks which run from Paddington to Penzance, as well as through Gloucestershire and Bristol.

Many of the reports have involved children and young people.

One incident involved a group of young people crossing the live track at Moreton-in-Marsh station only last week.

 As well as the risk of being struck by a train, electrification on parts of the route add further danger, as 25,000 volts of electricity can jump from overhead lines.

Several measures have been put in place to tackle the issue, including additional signage, installing cameras, and hosting educational events.

Andy Phillips, Network Rail programme manager for route crime, said: “Incidents of trespass on the railway cause issues for everyone using the network, where an individual could sustain life changing injuries and in the worst-case scenario, loss of life.

"The railway is not a playground and what they are doing is extremely dangerous.

“It is disappointing to see people blatantly disregarding their own and others’ safety.

We urge parents, teachers and other adults in responsible positions to ensure children understand the risks of trespassing, as well as encouraging the public to report any trespass incidents they witness via the BTP text service on 61016."

Embedded Inspector Dan Collins Young from British Transport Police said: “We see hundreds of people taking risks on and around the railway every year, resulting in tragic consequences or life-changing injuries. Both outcomes are avoidable.

“People should never anticipate when the next train is due – particularly as train services can run at any time of day or night and travel at high speed.

“Our network of uniformed and plain-clothed police officers, and over 150,000 CCTV cameras, monitor the railway 24/7 – we will actively pursue and take positive action against those who fail to comply with the simple instruction not to trespass.”