Summer safety warnings issued for railway line trespassers

It comes as newly-released figures show there were 2,755 incidents of trespassing recorded across the East Midlands in 2023-24 – the equivalent of eight incidents each day.

And 219 of those involved children, a concerning eight per cent rise compared to the previous year.

These incidents caused passengers to face nearly 12,000 minutes of delayed trains - equivalent to more than eight days - up by 40 per cent since the year before.

Network Rail has released shocking film of trespassers behaving recklessly at a pedestrian level crossing in Nottinghamshire, including laying down between the tracks.

Hayley Manners, Network Rail’s community safety manager in the East Midlands, said: “Every time someone strays onto the tracks, they are placing themselves at risk of serious, life-changing injury or worse.

"The consequences can be devastating, not only for them, but their loved ones and the wider community. Shutting the railway while we investigate reports of trespass also causes costly delays for rail passengers and freight.

“We hope that sharing the CCTV will act as a deterrent and show that acting irresponsibly on the railway is extremely dangerous. I strongly urge everyone to ensure that both they and their loved ones understand the risks so everyone can stay safe this summer.”

Nationally, statistics show that on average at least two people risk their lives on the railway every hour.

The figures also reveal that trespass is almost twice as likely to happen during the summer months, with more than 60 per cent of all incidents recorded during British Summer Time.