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

  • European trends in environmental monitoring and enforcement
    February 2, 2012
    David Crawford surveys European trends in environmental monitoring and enforcement
    Read More
  • SmartDrive launch new suite of sensors to tackle high-risk driving behaviour
    November 2, 2017
    SmartDrive Systems has introduced its SmartSense for Distracted Driving (SSDD), the first in a new line of intelligent sensors that are designed with the intention of identifying dangerous driving habits and intervening with drivers before a catastrophic event occurs. It uses computer vision-based algorithms along with SmartDrive’s video analytics platform to recognize when a driver is distracted.
    Read More
  • Indra’s railway control technology to be installed on Spanish rail lines
    July 22, 2014
    Indra is to deploy its advanced railway control, security and signalling technology on the high-speed rail lines between Valladolid and Leon and Venta de Baños and Burgos in Spain. The contract, worth more than US$47 million also includes facility maintenance. Indra will deploy the centralised traffic control system on the new line, together with auxiliary detection systems and security sensor concentrators, based on an innovative Indra safety platform. This is the vital processing system that guarantee
    Read More
  • Kapsch CarrierCom achieves functional addressing for railway communications
    June 10, 2016
    Kapsch CarrierCom’s Vienna lab has successfully carried out the first functional addressing call utilising SIP signalling based on the IP multimedia subsystem (IMS). The functional addressing service, also called ‘follow Me’, is one of the key operational features in railway communication networks and is the process of placing a call using a number that refers to the function which a user is performing at a certain time, as opposed to simply identifying the terminal equipment used. The achievement com
    Read More

Highlighted Content