Network Rail is a private engineering company that owns, maintains and operates Britain’s rail infrastructure. With approximately 33,000 employees spread nationally, they take care of over 22,000 miles of track, 2,500 stations and five million lineside neighbours.
The railway touches the lives of a wide variety of people throughout the country but is regarded by some young people as an exciting playground. Network Rail is committed to improving the safety and well-being of communities who live near the railway and to providing alternatives for those young people who may be attracted to the railway, through their ‘No Messin’ Campaign.
The No Messin’ campaign addresses both crime and anti-social behaviour which cost Network Rail an estimated £250m per year. In addition, over 250 people are killed accidentally or as the result of deliberate acts on the railway. Peak times for criminal activity such as vandalism, stone throwing, placing objects on the line and trespassing (playing chicken etc) is between 4 - 6pm and 7 - 8pm. The majority of incidents occur during the school holidays and involve children. Over the last five years 25% of all fatalities have involved those aged 8 – 17.
Working with groups such as youth groups, mainstream and non-mainstream education, young offenders, after school activities and community police teams, Network Rail has taken a three pronged approach to tackling rail crime. Through their education programme they have helped to creat rail ambassadors within schools who host assemblies on rail safety and are peer representatives of safe use of leisure time. The second prong looks as restorative work, especially through young offenders, cleaning up and creates art spaces on railway bridges instead of graffiti. The third is by providing and supporting diversionary activities in the local community. Alongside sponsoring and promoting local sports, dance and DJ clubs, Network Rail also run a summer-long series of events (No Messin’ Live), held in some of the country’s most deprived areas. These events are really useful to not only raise awareness of the dangers of the railway but also to introduce young people to the different activities that are provided to them in their local.
Through No Messin, Network Rail is leading the way in reducing death and injury on the railway as well as increasing opportunities for young people to spend their free time constructively in local communities.
