Warnings over 'playing chicken' on Bristol railways

Children dangling their legs over the platform edge, throwing stones at trains and playing "chicken" on, or running across, the lines, are just some of the incidents reported at the city's worst station for crime.

Figures from Network Rail show there were 25 crimes in and around Bristol's Stapleton Road station last year, an increase from 21 in 2007.

When the Bristol Post visited the station yesterday, we found the shelters for commuters no longer had glass panels – a sign that vandalism has been a major problem.

A man waiting for a train to Temple Meads station said: "It's not very nice, I don't feel safe at all."

The 56-year-old, who did not want to be named, added: "With no glass in the shelters it's cold and windy. I'm lucky it's not raining."

But Stapleton Road is not the only problem station identified in the Bristol area. Weston-super-Mare and Worle were the fourth worst stations in the whole of the South West, with a combined 28 incidents last year, down from 42 in 2007.

The figures emerge as Network Rail – which owns and operates the railway lines – launches its annual No Messin' campaign to raise awareness among young people about the dangers of playing on the railway. Among the more shocking crimes in the region have been air rifles fired and chairs being flung at trains.

Bristol hotspots were among 100 locations across Britain specifically targeted by Network Rail's Community Safety team and crimes at the locations fell by an average of 27 per cent from 2007 to 2008.

Crimes at Lawrence Hill and Bedminster stations dropped from 20 to 12 and 19 to 14, respectively.

Network Rail has donated £5,000 to the Lifeskills centre to support their work in raising awareness on safety in the city.

But the authorities fear young people are still putting their lives at risk by messing around near railway lines, with more than 500 doing just that in the South West last year.

Network Rail's community safety manager, Liz Heading, said: "We're seeing some real success in bringing down the levels of railway crime in hotspot areas, but there is much more work to be done to save lives and prevent needless injury.

"We are working hard to tackle the most dangerous crimes where young people think it is fun to play 'chicken' with a 200-tonne train going at 100mph or place objects on the line, which could have catastrophic consequences."

Railway crime costs the industry £264million every year. Trespassing on the railway carries a fine of up to £1,000 and a child of 10 years or older in England and Wales can be prosecuted for it.

British Transport Police deputy chief constable Andy Trotter said of the reduction in some areas: "While the figures represent good progress, we are not going to be complacent and we will continue to work closely with our partners to reduce crime even further. Our officers work tirelessly alongside Network Rail to educate youngsters that the railway is no playground and that those who gain access to prohibited parts of the railway are putting their lives at risk."