People in the North East and Teesside urged not to trespass on railway tracks
Network Rail says there's been a rise in incidents
People are being urged to not mess around train tracks across the North East and Teesside.
Network Rail says trespass incidents are on the rise especially with youths and they are urging parents to know where their children are.
Chloe Creffield, Community Safety Manager for the region, said: "Youths are blocking somebody from leaving the level crossing or laying on the railway track to take selfies, and you know that that train can do 100-metres in three seconds. It's quite a scary knowledge to actually watch that and realise what the consequences could be.
"There were nearly 15 incidents that have involved youths that have happened in that time span. Now, some might not have any serious consequences but every single of those times there's an opportunity for something to go wrong.
"Due to Covid, the recession and everything like that, we're definitely seeing an increase in youths heading towards the railway thinking it's a fun place to be, so literally we've got over 400 recorded in the past year.
"I would beg adults who think that when they were kids themselves and they went on the railway that nothing happened to them, understand that those trains are faster and quieter than back then and to make sure they know where their youths are going because you just don't ever want to be on the end that phone call."
As part of a crackdown, drones are being used to protect young people who put their lives at risk on the railway during the school holidays.
Northern, Network Rail and British Transport Police (BTP) have been working together to keep people off the tracks on the Durham Coast Line and the Bishop Line.
Railway staff took action after spikes in trespassing and anti-social behaviour during the school holidays on these two routes, in locations including Billingham, Heighington and Stockton, prompted concerns about safety and caused disruption for customers.
Jason Wade, regional director for Northern, said: “We are working hard with BTP and Network Rail to crack down on this extremely dangerous and illegal behaviour.
“Trespassing can have devastating consequences and it also causes severe disruption for our customers, as the line is closed and services are suspended whenever an incident is reported.”
Superintendent Dave Rams, from BTP, said: “Not only is trespass an extremely serious offence, it can also result in life-changing consequences or even death.
"While many young people look at the railway as being an exciting place to be, that could not be further from the truth. It is an immensely dangerous environment, and we will continue to take all reports of trespass extremely seriously.
“We’re extremely fortunate to have access to extensive CCTV footage alongside groundbreaking drone capabilities that means when these incidents do happen, we’re able to quickly respond and identify offenders.
"We will continue to proactively look for those breaking the law throughout the summer months, and I would urge any member of the public who witnesses someone trespassing on the railway to let us know by texting us on 61016 – you could be saving their life.”
Jason Hamilton, route director for Network Rail’s North and East route, said: “Trespassing on the railway is not only illegal, but an incredibly dangerous act. Every incident risks lives – not just of those trespassing but also our railway staff and passengers.
“Using drone technology as part of our coordinated approach with Northern and BTP has proven highly effective in quickly identifying and responding to trespass incidents. As we approach the summer holidays, we remind everyone to consider the serious consequences of trespassing.”
According to Network Rail, there were more than 19,300 trespass incidents on the rail network in 2023/24. That’s one every half an hour.