- Wantage Road level crossing in Grove has been closed following a series of dangerous incidents
- Shocking images show people putting themselves, passengers and railway staff in danger, as they stop to take selfies on the high-speed railway line
- Accidental deaths on rail network rise by 26% compared to last year, prompting Network Rail and British Transport Police to launch new campaign targeting unsafe behaviour on the railway
- New hard-hitting safety films feature first responders sharing the devastating physical and emotional impacts of railway accidents
Wantage Road pedestrian level crossing in Grove has been closed in order for Network Rail and local authorities to work on implementing a permanent solution following a spate of dangerous incidents.
New images- taken last month at the crossing situated on the Great Western Main Line, on which trains can travel at speeds of up to 125mph- shows people stopping on the tracks to take photos. In July 2022, Network Rail released CCTV footage showing a group of children dancing and performing scooter tricks on the active railway line at the same crossing.
Emma Barry, level crossing manager for Network Rail, said: “These images show actions we see far too often across the rail network, of people acting in a reckless and incredibly dangerous manner at level crossings. The number of unsafe incidents at this particular crossing has left us with no choice but to take action and close it before a tragedy happens.
“The people in these photos not only put themselves at serious risk of death with their unsafe behaviour, they also put the safety of our staff and passengers at risk.
“Our new safety campaign with the British Transport Police is deliberately hard-hitting, at a time where accidental deaths on the railway are at a five-year high.
“We’re urging everyone to follow the guidance on using level crossings safely and stay alert when using them, particularly with the school summer holidays approaching.”
New safety films to be shown across the country, laying bare the devastating consequences of unsafe behaviour on the railway
Powerful new safety films will be seen across Britain this summer as Network Rail and the British Transport Police launch a campaign to tackle rising unsafe behaviour around the rail network.
Twenty-four people lost their lives in preventable accidents on the railway last year. Five of those lives were lost at level crossings, while the other 19 were a result of crossing the railway at unauthorised locations.
Working with the emergency services and film industry professions, two new safety films have been made that create a powerful emotional impact by showing the real consequences of unsafe behaviour through the experiences of those who witness the aftermath. One explores the emotional impact on families when loved ones have been badly injured on the railway, while the second features an NHS trauma specialist explaining the catastrophic injuries caused by getting hit by a train.
With the summer holidays fast approaching, the campaign urges everyone to stay off tracks, observe warning signs, and use level crossings safely. It particularly highlights the dangers of distraction from mobile phones when around the railway.
Pedestrians were involved in 457 of the 467 near misses with trains at level crossings in Britain last year. Research by Network Rail has revealed that distraction by mobile phones is likely to be a contributing factor in some of those events.
As well as the risk to lives, safety incidents involving the public have a serious impact on train performance. Last year, more than a million minutes of delays to train services were caused as a result of people straying onto the railway tracks.
Priti Patel, Chief Health, Safety ＆ Wellbeing Officer at Network Rail said: “These figures are deeply concerning and it is heartbreaking to know that twenty-four people did not make it home due to circumstances that were entirely preventable. Every one of these deaths is a tragedy that devastates families and communities.
“All we ask is that people ensure that they pay attention when they find themselves in a rail setting. Only cross at safe, designated locations such as bridges or level crossings and when you are using them, give them your full attention. The situations shown in our campaign films are real. Please don’t let them become true for you or your loved ones.”
Chief Inspector Adam Swallow, British Transport Police, added: “Every year, my emergency services colleagues and I are faced with the awful consequences of preventable railway accidents. And we don’t just respond, we remember too. Behind every statistic is a real person – a life needlessly lost or irreversibly changed and a family left devastated.
“The number of near misses is a stark reminder about why this campaign is so vital. These films are grounded in real-life experiences and show the terrible impact of a moment’s distraction or misjudgement.
“As the summer holidays begin and more people are out and about, including teenagers and younger children, we’re asking everyone to treat the railway with the seriousness and respect it demands; stay alert, avoid distractions, and never cross except at designated points. It could save your life, or someone else’s.
“I’d encourage people to save 61016 into their phones and text us if they need us. In an emergency always dial 999.”
For more information on railway safety and to view the new films, visit http://www.youvstrain.co.uk
Guidance on how to use level crossings safely can be found here: Level crossing safety – Network Rail.