The Rail Industry

Electricity is easily the most dangerous factor in stepping on the track. It’s always switched on and people don’t realise it can jump – you don’t even need to touch a cable to be seriously injured.

Overhead lines carry 25,000 volts, a hundred times more than your supply at home.  The third rail is probably the hardest danger to see. It looks just like an ordinary rail, but it carries 750 volts. It’s designed to send power to the train, but you are 70% water and the perfect conductor for this electricity. If you touch the rail, you will ‘stick’ to it.

You can’t outrun a train. And even if you could, you wouldn’t hear it coming.  Today’s trains reach speeds of 125mph almost silently and they run 24 hours a day. 

This is about taking positive action if you see someone in distress: approach them and see if they are OK and if you need to, call for help. 

In a busy and crowded train station, you can easily become distracted by other people or your mobile phone. At level crossings, you can also become distracted by your music or thoughts as you drift into your own little world. This can be dangerous as you lose sight of the risks around you when you’re lost in thought.

Don’t be afraid to report anything that feels out of place. We rely on information from the public to help us keep the rail network safe. It could be someone avoiding rail staff or police, leaving a bag on the railway, or checking out security arrangements like CCTV. If it doesn’t feel right, let us know and we can decide if what you have seen or what you know is important. We will check the information thoroughly. Text the British Transport Police on 61016.

There are more than 13,000 trespass incidents on the railway each year. Last year, 15 lives were lost as a result of trespass activity. A quarter of these incidents involve children and young people, who are often unaware of the hidden dangers associated with the railway such as the introduction of faster, quieter trains and the presence of a powerful electrical current that is never switched off. The Rail Industry is committed to ensuring that families and communities fully understand these dangers and the risk to life that they present.

There are just over 6,000 level crossings in Britain where the road meets rail; over 60% have no warning that a train is approaching, including footpaths and bridleways. In the last five years, there have been 22 accidental fatalities at level crossings. Incidents where pedestrians and cyclists are almost hit by a train are increasing, with just over 300 incidents in 2019/20. The most commonly recorded causes are people not willing to wait, being unaware of an approaching train, thrill seeking and antisocial behaviour or deliberate misuse. The Rail Industry is focused on reducing risk to the public at its level crossings, and there is still more to do to ensure families and communities understand that they must continue to take care and pay attention when crossing the railway.

255 people sadly take their own lives on the railway each year. For their loved ones, their actions are devastating. For rail staff and passengers involved in such tragedies, the impact can last a lifetime. Research and first-hand experience has shown that just talking to someone in distress (or telling a member of staff so they can talk to them or find help) can stop them taking their own life. For every person who does take their own life on the railway, six lives are saved by someone doing something, even if that’s just asking how they are. Learning how to help someone in distress not only helps to prevent suicides on the railway but can be used in everyday life too. Suicide is not inevitable, and we can all support someone who is at a low point in their lives.

Every year, two and a half billion people travel by railway across England, Scotland and Wales. British Transport Police are there to make sure that everyone who works or travels on the railway does so safely and securely. While the railway is one of the safest ways to travel, we all need to continue to remain vigilant to protect ourselves and those around us. You should always text British Transport Police on 61016 if you see unusual behaviour or something out of place on your journey and call 999 in an emergency. If you see something that concerns you, even if you think it might be nothing, report it and British Transport Police will respond appropriately.