Dorset railway lines named as trespass hotspot
Network Rail is calling on parents to warn children of the dangers
Network Rail is urging parents to warn their children of the danger railway lines pose as the summer holidays approach.
Last year saw a 2% increase of rail trespassing in the Wessex region, with Pokesdown at Bournemouth the biggest hotspot.
Over 1,500 incidents were recorded in the year 2022/23.
Network Rail's head of security, crime and resilience for the Southern region, Paul Langley, says he feel's children might see the railway as a playground:
"We're approaching the the school holidays and we do see an increase in trespass events involving children and young persons, and now is really the time that I would like parents to have that conversation with their children about the dangers of the rail network."
He added that it's an increasing problem across the country, with over 18,500 incidents in the UK last year - which equates to almost one per mile of track.
You vs Train Campaign
The call for caution comes as part of the You vs Train campaign.
The campaign is aimed at highlighting the dangers of rail trespassing, six years on from the death of Harrison Ballantyne.
Harrison was killed after being electrocuted when trying to retrieve a football from the railway.
Paul explained what the campaign hopes to achieve:
"The campaign really is trying to focus people's minds that the railway is not a playground.
"The rail network can be a deadly place and trespassing. I've been in the rail industry 20 years and unfortunately I've seen many a trespass incident end in the most tragic of circumstances,"
A live rail carries 750 volts and is electrified at all times.