Every year, people are killed and injured because they are trespassing or vandalising the railway.
There are more than 28 million incidents of trespass on the railway
every year and 11 million of them are committed by the under 16s. The
results are heart-breaking. Sixty people are killed and many more are
horribly injured every year (on average).
What is trespassing on the railway?
Only certain parts of the railway are open to members of the public.
Of course, you can go on the stations, platforms and safe crossing
places – underpasses, public bridges, level crossings & public foot
crossings.
But you will be trespassing if you go on to the railway tracks, the
embankments or any other area – for any reason at any time. The only
exception is if you are told to go on the tracks by railway staff or
the emergency services (for example – if your train breaks down &
you need to walk along the tracks to the nearest station).
You are trespassing on the railway and putting your life in danger if you:
- Take a short cut across the train tracks
- Jump off the platform to pick up your newspaper or a dropped shoe
- Chase after your cat or dog when they go on the tracks.
What is vandalism on the railway?
Vandalism is when someone deliberately damages railway property.
Common types of vandalism on the railway include graffiti, litter,
flytipping and breaking & damaging railway property (such as
fences, bridges, signs & tracks).
Who commits trespass & vandalism
Much of the trespassing & vandalism is done by 8 – 16 year old
boys but children as young as five years old have been found playing on
the tracks. The other big group of trespassers are adults who use the
railway as a shortcut.
Penalties for trespass & vandalism
Trespassing & vandalising on the railway is a criminal offence
which carries a fine of up to £1,000. Graffiti is also a serious crime
which can result in a prison sentence.
How we try to prevent trespass & vandalism on the railway
Network Rail works hard to tell young people about the dangers of
trespass & vandalism. We have two websites specifically about
railway crime - the No Messin’! website for young people and the Trackoff
website for teachers & parents. We also run & support a lot of
community activities, including school visits, safety centres,
diversionary activities & communications programmes. In areas with
lots of trespassing & vandalism, we will replace existing fences
with more secure fences to make it more difficult to access the
railway.
If you would like to get involved, please send an email to Network Rail at contact@no-messin.com.
What to do if you know about trespass or vandalism
If you see someone on the railway tracks, please call the British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or the Police on 999.
More information
What to do if you have a problem caused by the railway or have more questions
If you have a problem caused by trespass & vandalism or any
other part of the railway or if you simply want more information,
please contact the National Helpline on 08457 11 41 41.