Network Rail: campaign to reduce alcohol-related railway incidents

To combat the 7,419 recorded alcohol-related incidents on or around the railway in 2016/17, 16% of which took place over the festive period; Network Rail, British Transport Police, RSSB and charity Drinkware have launched a campaign called Keep a Clear Head. The scheme is also encouraging the public to keep a clear head on the rail network using local and national communications channels, including across social media.
December 22, 2017 Read time: 3 mins
To combat the 7,419 recorded alcohol-related incidents on or around the railway in 2016/17, 16% of which took place over the festive period; 5021 Network Rail, British Transport Police, 7978 RSSB and charity Drinkware have launched a campaign called Keep a Clear Head. The scheme is also encouraging the public to keep a clear head on the rail network using local and national communications channels, including across social media.


Figures from Network Rail revealed that 21 people were killed due to alcohol-related incidents at the platform edge, and a further 91 people have received serious injuries over the last ten years. Passengers boarding and alighting trains were involved in 469 alcohol-related accidents in the last five years.

Network Rail is sharing its message to smartphones on the rail network in locations where there have been higher levels of alcohol-related incidents or with more pubs and clubs nearby. There will also be alcohol awareness events in stations in the run-up to Christmas.

Level crossing managers will provide safety information to its users and a virtual reality film, Keep a clear head, can be viewed on the level crossings app.

The top 10 stations with alcohol-related delay-causing incidents revealed that Birmingham New Street had 452 between 2012/13 to 2017/18, followed by 433 incidents at Reading station over the same period.

Danger points for intoxicated passengers include not heeding the warning signs at level crossings; trips and slips at the platform edge and on station escalators and; straying onto railway tracks.

According to British Transport Police, there has also been a rise in violence at many of the busiest railway stations over the festive season, much of which is caused by excess alcohol. Between 24 November 2016 and 2 January 2017, the number of violent offences reported at railway stations across England, Scotland and Wales increased by 14% compared with the same period in 2015/16. Almost one in 10 of those offences involved alcohol.

Allan Spence, head of public and passenger safety, Network Rail, said: Though trains are the safest way to get around, passengers and people living near the railway must always remember that it can be a dangerous place. That’s why we’re reminding the public to remain alert to those dangers whilst they’re having fun over the festive season. Taking a short cut across the tracks, chancing it at level crossings or tripping at the platform edge can, at best cause delays to your journey; at worse it can result in serious harm. Enjoy yourself but don’t let alcohol stop you or your fellow passengers from getting to where you need to be – keep a clear head.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Cost benefit analysis ‘can’t be carried out with a cookbook’
    June 25, 2018
    There is far more to working out the worth of a project than simply filling in a few headings on a spreadsheet. David Crawford surveys some recent thinking from the US and Canada. Cost benefit analysis (CBA) “can’t be carried out with a cookbook”, warns US analyst Professor Robert J Brent. “ You can’t just get out a spreadsheet and fill in the data for all the headings. Each transport CBA should have something that is distinctive, in terms of location (for example, for a rural area), types of user
    Read More
  • Artificial intelligence changes Idemia’s image
    May 13, 2021
    Idemia pledges to make life safer for VRUs with new products based around existing technology, Jean-Paul Baldacci tells Adam Hill
    Read More
  • US traffic fatalities fall in 2014, but early estimates show 2015 trending higher
    December 22, 2015
    The US saw a slight decline in traffic deaths during 2014, according to the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). However, an increase in estimated fatalities during the first six months of this year reveals a need to reinvigorate the fight against deadly behaviour on America's roads, NHSA says.
    Read More
  • The smart in smart parking
    March 29, 2018
    Whether you want to reduce congestion, increase parking revenue or reduce occupancy – or a mixture of all three – there is plenty of technology available. Andrew Bardin Williams considers the pros and cons. Drawn in by the promise of Smart City initiatives, communities across North America are embracing smart parking solutions in an effort to change citizens’ transportation behaviours for the better. They are doing this by using policy and ITS solutions to help de-incentivise parking for most people while
    Read More

Highlighted Content