Route crime

Route crime, formerly known as trespass and vandalism, is the cause of most deaths to members of the public on Britain's railways. Many are suicides but a significant number are accidental deaths due to trespass. As route crime focuses on line of route offences, assaults on rail staff are generally considered separately.

In this section

What are we doing to combat route crime?

We have a role in ensuring that rail operators do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent unauthorised access, make sure the track is kept clear and ensure risks to the travelling public are reduced. British Transport Police (BTP) lead on matters of criminal damage and the application of railway by-laws on trespass. The civil police may be involved in issues involving vandalism from beyond the railway boundary.

We continue to work closely with rail industry partners in ensuring a targeted and co-ordinated approach to further reductions in route crime. We have a route crime strategy to direct our work on route crime, with particular focus on risks to children and derailment risks caused by obstruction of the line by vandals.

What else are we doing?

We continue to work closely with industry partners at both local and national level to tackle trespass and vandalism. Following a 3 year inspection programme on route crime between 2002-03 and 2004-05, proactive work on route crime at local level continues by our involvement in cross-industry Community Safety Partnership Groups. These groups bring together Network Rail, train operators, and BTP to tackle a range of public behaviour issues including route crime.

We are also involved in supporting industry education and awareness initiatives, particularly for children and young people, to complement the learning materials on the industry’s Track Off website.

Do duty holders have any responsibility?

As well as the law on vandalism enforced by BTP and the civil police, rail operators have legal duties under health and safety law, which we enforce.

Railway infrastructure controllers (Network Rail on Britain’s mainline rail network but also London Underground) have a general duty Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 to reduce risks 'so far as is reasonably practicable'. As part of this duty they are required to take all reasonably practicable steps to prevent unauthorised access to the infrastructure and to ensure that public safety is not endangered through the presence of uncontrolled railway material left near the track where vandals might use it.

Last updated: 18 February 2008