Warning to stay away from railway tracks as 24 trespass incidents recorded since lockdown

Trespassing is illegal, extremely dangerous and can have fatal or life-changing consequences.

Railway lines are used 24 hours a day, seven days a week, says Network Rail, and, as the t rains travel at high speeds, they cannot stop quickly or swerve out of the way.

As well as other hidden dangers on the tracks, a deadly 25,000 volts run through the overhead wires, which are used to power some trains. This equipment is always on, even when there are no trains around. Nine out of ten people who come into contact with the overhead cables die, and the remainder suffer life-changing injuries.

More than one third of the trespass incidents recorded since lockdown in the East Midlands involved children or young people.

Network Rail’s team of community safety managers visit schools across the region and engage with communities to raise awareness of the dangers of trespassing, but in the current situation many events have been cancelled.

Dawn Sweeting, community safety manager for Network Rail, said: “These trespass incidents in the East Midlands are shocking and show many people are oblivious to the dangers they are putting themselves, their friends or loved ones in. We’ve seen a worrying number of incidents at a time when people should be following government guidelines and staying at home where possible. We are urging people to stay safe and stay off the tracks.”