Scotland crime news: British Transport Police warn children against hanging around railway lines after a rise in trespassing and vandalism in Scotland

A rise in trespassing and vandalism at railways lines has prompted the British Transport Police to ask parents to warn their children about the dangers of playing next to the tracks.

There were 1669 recorded trespass incidents in Scotland in 2021/22, compared with 1633 the year before.

In addition to this, the British Transport Police has announced that they dealt with 703 incidents of vandalism, compared with the 661 the year before.

These acts of vandalism include stone throwing, damage to shelters, fire extinguishers being let off and graffiti.

Scotland crime news: British Transport Police warn children against hanging around railway lines after a rise in trespassing and vandalism in Scotland

British Transport Police Inspector, Michael Magee explained: “The railway is not a playground.

"Every time someone steps onto the track they are putting themselves at risk of serious, life-changing injury.

“We tend to see a spike in cases of juvenile related trespass and anti-social behaviour during the school holidays.

"Safety is our top priority and we’re asking that we all speak to our loved ones to prevent further damage or serious injury.”

The BTP want to warn people that trespassing is illegal, and also it is impossible to anticipate the train times due to delays and irregularities, so the tracks can never be considered safe.

The rail network also never switches off, with overhead electrical cables operating 24/7.

Allan Brooking, Community Safety Manager at Network Rail, added: “Trespassing on the railway can result in life-changing or even fatal injuries.

"We work closely with the British Transport Police, and other partners, to raise awareness of the dangers of trespass and would urge the public to keep off the tracks.”

A message from the Editor:Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.