The awful cost of trespassing on the railway

Network Rail has reported that 49 people, a quarter of whom were aged between 11 and 20, died between April 2009 and March 2010 after trespassing on live railway tracks.

Reports in the Railway Herald magazine suggest that the company is concerned that people do not realise they can be killed by simply touching one of the rails and is warning young people of the dangers of playing on railway lines during the school holiday period.

The Network Rail campaign 'No Messin' also highlights the hundreds of objects thrown onto tracks each year.

Railway Herald magazine reported: “The Rail Safety and Standards Board recorded 3,400 incidents of trespass and vandalism during the 2009-2010 periods. Part of the danger lies in the fact that when people touch the live rail, they 'stick' to it and the emergency services often cannot help until the power is switched off.

“The problem is not solved by having overhead power lines, as in wet weather the electricity can arc through the air and hit people up to four feet away. The danger also is not just to those who are trespassing. Last year 76 shopping trolleys were placed on lines, as well as 180 bikes, seven prams and one bouncy castle.

“Trespassing on the railway is a criminal offence and people can be fined up to £1,000. If someone puts an object on the track that causes an accident, the maximum sentence is life imprisonment - and if a child is charged with causing a train accident, then a parent or guardian is liable to be prosecuted as well."