PEOPLE in Wales have been given a stark warning to stay away from railway tracks with an emotive film.

Transport for Wales, Network Rail and British Transport Police have today, Wednesday, July 7, announced that 433 serious incidents of people trespassing on railway tracks and level crossings have been recorded since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The rise in incidents has been put down to a dangerous craze which has seen people – mainly young people – doing ‘photoshoots’ on the tracks.

More than 1m uses of hashtags like #railphotography and #railwayshoot have been made on Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok – which has led to the release of the film and safety message.

The film is part of the At What Cost? safety campaign which has been created by the three organisations to raise awareness of the dangers of misusing level crossings in Wales and the UK.

It shows CCTV footage of “railway selfies” being taken in Harlech to a full-blown photoshoot on the tracks in Neath and the aim is to curb the trend ahead of the summer holidays by making young people aware of the dangers.

It also illustrates some of the motives people have said in regards to taking risks at level crossings – some include using them unsafely to save time, to show off in front of friends or for an ‘Instagrammable’ selfie.

The three incidents spoken about in the film are narrated through poetry and told by members of staff from the three organisations, who have all witnessed near-misses and fatal incidents at level crossings.

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Network Rail’s route level crossing manager, Ronnie Gallagher, said: “Our campaign has been designed to complement our priorities of risk management, education and enforcement – all while encouraging people in Wales to consider the true cost of taking a risk at a level crossing.

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“With an expected rise in staycations and holidays to Wales this summer – not to mention the imminent arrival of the school holidays – there has never been a more important time for us to launch a safety awareness campaign around level crossings.”

Transport for Wales train driver Jody Donnelly, said: “Over the years, myself and many of my colleagues – from within station, driver and conductor roles – have had to deal with hundreds of frightening and sometimes tragic occurrences at level crossings.

“People seem to think that the worst won’t happen to them – but if you’re caught short at a level crossing, it simply isn’t true. Unlike cars, trains can take hundreds of metres to stop when travelling at top speed, meaning that a decision to nip across the tracks can be fatal.

“I have no doubt that our campaign will help to save lives this summer – and with this, I hope it will allow myself and my team to rest a little easier… Knowing that despite rising social media trends, our customers are educated on the very real dangers of level crossings.”

British Transport Police inspector Richard Powell said: “Messing around on level crossings – including lingering to take photos – is illegal and extremely dangerous. You could be taken to court and face a £1,000 fine.

“Trains approach almost silently, so if you’re distracted, you won’t notice until it’s too late. Take care around level crossings. No photograph is worth the risk to you or the consequences for your family and any bystanders.”

The film will feature as part of a Wales-wide campaign this summer. It will appear across Instagram, TikTok and Spotify and will be complemented by youth outreach presentations at schools and holiday parks.

For more information on the dangers of level crossing misuse and how to use level crossings safely, visit https://tfwrail.wales/about-us/travel-safety/level-crossings