Network Rail targets high risk phone distraction crossings

The UK’s rail track owner, Network Rail, is using the latest technology in an effort to reduce the number of near misses as pedestrian cross the railway lines. Statistics revealed that 70% of near misses at crossings are due to distraction, with the top three being friends (40%), headphones (20%) and mobile phones (12%). Almost a third (29%) of young adults admit to using their mobile phone while crossing the railway and near misses rise from an average of 15/month in December and January to peak at 50 in S
July 17, 2017 Read time: 1 min
The UK’s rail track owner, 5021 Network Rail, is using the latest technology in an effort to reduce the number of near misses as pedestrian cross the railway lines.


Statistics revealed that 70% of near misses at crossings are due to distraction, with the top three being friends (40%), headphones (20%) and mobile phones (12%). Almost a third (29%) of young adults admit to using their mobile phone while crossing the railway and near misses rise from an average of 15/month in December and January to peak at 50 in September.

In response, Network Rail and British Transport Police are geo-targeting a number of crossings where phone distraction has been flagged as high risk. The technology, causes an advert to flash up in whatever app is being used using, and will display a safety message warning users to pay attention while crossing the railway.

Urban Traffic Control

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Consumers want in-vehicle technology but willingness to pay for it varies, says survey
    June 22, 2017
    A new global survey on consumer preferences for automotive technology finds more consumers want advanced technology in their next new vehicle. However, their willingness to pay for technology demonstrates a wide variety of viewpoints from consumers across leading global markets, says the survey from business information provider IHS Markit
    Read More
  • Growth of smart parking initiatives
    April 25, 2013
    New initiatives in smart parking have been announced in the US and Europe in recent months. Is the age of smarter parking finally with us? Jon Masters investigates. Smart parking comes to Manchester, reads the headline to a story posted on the UK city’s website towards the end of March this year. Sensors will be fixed to parking spaces to give drivers and authorities information on parking availability via mobile phone apps and other software, the story goes on to explain. Lower down the page, Manchester Ci
    Read More
  • Q&A: Why has Almaviva bought Iteris?
    January 17, 2025
    US-based ITS sector veteran Iteris has been bought for $335m by Italian digital specialist Almaviva. But who exactly is the new owner and what does it want? Adam Hill finds out…
    Read More
  • ITS advancement lays beyond benefit-cost analysis
    May 29, 2013
    Shelley Row, former Director of the US Department of Transportation’s ITS Joint Program Office, gives her views on the way forward for the industry. We, as intelligent transportation system (ITS) proponents and engineers, tend to be overly fixated on benefit-cost data. We want decisions to be made on logical grounds for which benefit-cost calculations are optimal. While benefit-cost data is necessary, it is not always sufficient. We can learn from our history where we see three broad groups of ITS deploymen
    Read More

Highlighted Content