A heart-stopping picture shows a group of children dangling from a railway bridge while another shows two young girls dancing in front of an oncoming train. CCTV has been released as part of a hard-hitting campaign following a spate of worrying incidents on railway lines in the East Midlands this summer.
In one CCTV clip a group of teens clamber through a metal spiked fence and shuffle across a narrow ledge of a bridge just feet away from the 25,000 volt overhead power lines. One boy in a pink t-shirt is seen appearing to egg on his friend, who grabs onto the top of the bridge before leaning back to show-off or take a selfie.
Three more boys, including the lad in the pink t-shirt, then squeeze through the gap in the fence to join their pals on the bridge. British Transport Police (BTP), Network Rail and East Midlands Railway (EMR) have urged parents to warn children of the dangers of playing near train lines.
Another clip from July 15 shows three school-age children walking across a pedestrian crossing before stopping in the middle of the track. Two girls then hop off the path just inches from the live rails where they dance as a train approaches. They then sprint off moments later.
BTP Nottingham Inspector Ellis Turner said: “Unfortunately we have seen too many times the tragic and life changing consequences of young people ignoring the warnings about trespassing on the railway. This summer holidays it is essential that young people know the dangers of being trackside.
"Education and following a good example from parents and guardians is vital in ensuring the safety of young people, understanding where they are and what they are up to and by discouraging dangerous activities. There is unfortunately an increasing number of children and young people who appear to not understand the dangers of being trackside and continue to trespass and make train tracks their playground.
“A common misconception is that you must touch the cable to be electrocuted but physical contact with the cable doesn’t need to happen, 25,000 volts of electricity can jump from the overhead lines.”
BTP, Network Rail and EMR are running a hard-hitting safety campaign called ‘You Vs Train’ to tackle the problem during the summer holidays.
Lucy Gallacher, EMR's emergency planning manager, said: “It is really important that parents educate their children around the dangers of the railway and how to act appropriately at stations.”
Alan Colclough, East Midlands operations risk advisor at Network Rail, said: “The reckless behaviour we’ve seen in recent months is deeply concerning. The railway is not a playground and you never know when the next train is approaching.
“The railway is also full of hidden hazards, and on the parts which have overhead electric power lines the electricity is always on. We work with partners across the rail industry to educate young people on the dangers of trespassing and level crossing misuse, but we need support from inside the home too.
“I strongly urge parents to have a conversation about railway safety with their children, especially during the summer holidays.”
Passengers and the public are asked to report any concerns or incidents by texting BTP on 61016 or calling 0800 405040.
