A collaboration between Portsmouth City Council and Network Rail is helping increase awareness within the local community of the potential dangers of the railway and encourage people to stay safe and off the tracks.
Last year, a teenager tragically died at Cosham station which sent shockwaves around Portsmouth and highlighted the impact fatalities on the railway can have on many individuals and groups across the community.
In a collaborative effort to further enhance rail safety, the council and Network Rail have teamed up to make it harder for people to get onto the railway, and further educate the community on the potential dangers of the railway.
Network Rail continues to ensure boundaries on the railway are regularly inspected and maintained and is working with the council to increase the height of boundaries such as fencing where appropriate to ensure the railway cannot be easily accessed via private land.
In February this year, Network Rail worked with council officers to remove discarded materials on private land near the railway in Highbury, preventing anyone from accessing the tracks by using the waste materials to climb over the fence.
This partnership builds upon Network Rail’s ongoing work to educate the community, and in particular children and their parents, on how to cross the railway safely and behave responsibly when near the tracks.
Cllr Peter Candlish, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “It’s crucial that we do everything we can to keep our community safe around railway lines. I am pleased to see the proactive measures being taken by the council and Network Rail to prevent trespassing and educate children in the city about railway safety.”
Eric Woodward, Network Rail’s Wessex route head of health and safety, said: “We’re pleased to be working closer than ever with Portsmouth City Council to further enhance our ongoing efforts to educate the local community about rail safety.
“We work extremely hard to ensure children and their parents in particular know the associated risks of the railway and our engagement programme with schools right across our Wessex route is a highly effective way of keeping people safe and away from the tracks.
“The safety of our passengers, staff and the community is always our number one priority and we welcome the opportunity to work with even more schools across Portsmouth to help us educate their students on rail safety awareness.”
A full report will be discussed at the forthcoming Transport Cabinet Decision Meeting, due to take place on 26 September 2024. This meeting will provide further insights into the ongoing efforts and plans to ensure the safety of all residents around the city’s railway network.