Cable theft is illegal, costs the railway millions every year and can cause severe delays and disruption to your journeys.
That’s why we’re trialling new technology to help us tackle cable theft more swiftly and safely than ever – before it affects your journeys.
Cables and the railway
Cables help us run much of railway. Our cables can range from overhead wires that power electric trains to the fibre optic cables that transfer essential computing and digital data across Britain.
This means we must stop trains when a cable is cut – leading to delays but keeping you safe. Last year, there were 108 incidents of cable theft across our railway, causing 69,275 minutes of train delays and costing £3.3m.
The number of incidents represented a 48% jump from 2023, when 73 incidents of cable theft caused 46,464 minutes of train delays and cost £3.7m.
We already take several measures to tackle cable theft, including a dedicated security team, CCTV monitoring and introducing cables that are harder to steal and easier to identify.
But we’re now trialling a smart new tech that may help one step further.
Dark fibre technology
We’ve partnered with tech company Focus Sensors to begin trialling its dark fibre intruder detection system in our Anglia region this month.
It works by transforming our existing fibre optic cables into a sort of listening device. The cables can then detect unusual vibrations such as footsteps or digging. The system will send a real-time alert to our security teams if it picks up something suspicious.
Reducing delays and disruptions
Receiving such quick alerts can allow us to respond swiftly – and reduce the disruption and delays caused by the crime. The system works by pinpointing the exact location of the suspicious activity – saving us even more time.
Knowing the precise location of the alert also helps keep our on-track staff safe by reducing the amount of time and energy they may otherwise spend searching for it. The system may even help us intervene early enough to prevent the theft.
Richard Barke, a crime and security manager at Network Rail, said: “Reducing cable crime on the UK railway brings significant benefits to the public by improving service reliability, safety, and minimising disruption. Economically, it helps avoid millions in delay and repair costs while protecting vital infrastructure.
“The introduction of Focus Sensors technology is a game changer; it enables real-time monitoring of the rail network, allowing us to detect and respond to suspicious activity with precision. This proactive approach strengthens security, deters offenders, and ensures a safer, more dependable railway for everyone.”
We’re still trialling the tech but the results have been promising so far. We’ll look at rolling it out more widely across our railway if the trial proves successful.
Cable theft is a serious crime and threat to our railway and we’re committed to tackling it.
