BRITISH Transport Police have released a hard-hitting video highlighting the dangers of trespassing on railway tracks.

The video, intended to give people a "reality check", shows one man who fails to get clear of the train in time and is struck, with devastating consequences. While the man survives he is left paralysed.

In the last 10 years, almost 170 people have lost their lives trespassing on the railway. Almost half of those killed were under-25.

"Most trespassers say taking a shortcut was their main motivation, followed by thrill-seeking," say the British Transport Police.

"But walking along or messing around on the tracks can result in serious life-changing injuries or death.

"We’re doing all we can to keep people safe by patrolling areas we know where trespass is likely to happen and stopping people from getting on to the railway."

British Transport Police are working closely with Network Rail and train operators to reduce trespassing in a number of areas by:

  • Improving security across the network and using covert surveillance to catch offenders.
  • Going into schools to warn children of the dangers of trespassing. 
  • Putting up posters and signs at trespass hotspots to deter people from going on the tracks.

They are urging parents and young people to take a reality check when it comes to trespass.

"It’s not a game: they are real tracks, with real trains and real life-changing consequences."