Delays Explained: Trespass and vandalism

Delays Explained: Trespass and vandalism

Published 29 April 2021 | Average read time
2 min read
Stories Railway safety Stories
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Trespass and vandalism on the railway are illegal and extremely dangerous. They also cause delays to journeys …

Trespassing on the railway is illegal and dangerous. You could be taken to court and face a £1000 fine.

Watch this video to find out how they can cause significant disruption and what we do when someone has been spotted trespassing on the tracks:

When we see someone trespassing, we have to stop all trains in the vicinity to ensure everyone’s safety. This not only delays nearby trains, but also has a knock-on effect on trains across the network.

Certain parts of the railway, including stations, underpasses and level crossings, are open to the public. But when people go onto the tracks, embankments or other areas, they are trespassing.

When people trespass on the railway and vandalise our property, we need to repair any damage and make sure the railway is safe before allowing trains to run again. This causes delays for passengers. Vandalism includes graffitilitterfly-tipping and damage to fences, signs and tracks.

Find out how we work with communities to promote safety.

Read more:

You vs Train website

You vs Train: the third rail

Safety in the community

Safety education

Railway safety campaigns

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Delays Explained – flooding

Video: Delays explained – landslips

Delays explained – overhead line equipment

Delays explained: bridge strikes

Delays explained: signals

Delays explained: why we can’t run trains during repairs

Broken rail explained

Track circuits explained