Network Rail anti-trespass programme uses drones

Network Rail anti-trespass programme is in its sixth year. The latest two-week rail safety operation covers Teesside, County Durham and the North East. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The initiative is run with British Transport Police (BTP) and Northern. It forms part of Network Rail’s anti-trespass prevention activity. According to Network Rail, it aims to reduce unsafe behaviour on and near the railway.

Network Rail anti-trespass programme and joint patrols

From 7–17 April, specialist Network Rail teams worked with BTP officers and Northern staff. They focused on railway trespass hotspots across the region.

This year’s operation has made extensive use of drone technology for rail safety. The cameras help teams monitor hard-to-reach areas. In addition, they help staff spot risks early and respond before incidents occur.

Also, Network Rail mobile operations managers have been deployed in road vehicles and on trains. They have worked closely with BTP officers and Northern colleagues to spot incidents.

Lineside fires prevention at Seaham and Horden

During the first week of the programme, joint patrols operated between Middlesbrough and Sunderland. At the same time, drone activity focused on stations and sidings across the region. It prevented two lineside fires at Seaham and Horden from escalating.

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In both cases, the individuals involved ran off after spotting the drone. A mobile operations manager (MOM) recorded them. The MOM used a thermal imaging camera to track them. They tried to hide in nearby trees and bushes. After they left the railway, the MOM made sure both fires were put out. The MOM then confirmed the tracks were safe for operation to continue.

Phil Gowland, Network Rail Local Operations Manager, said:
“The Easter school holidays are a key time for us, and this is the sixth year we’ve run this anti-trespass prevention activity. The aim is simple: to get the message out that trespassing is dangerous and not acceptable, particularly for young people.

What we tend to do is have a colleague in the cab of a train. If they spot someone trespassing, they can radio straight through to a BTP patrol vehicle that’s travelling alongside the route. That means our response time can be as little as five minutes, and we’re able to get there quickly and deal with it.

The use of drones has been a real game changer for us. We now use them in specific hotspot areas where we’ve had ongoing trespass issues. They’ve helped us stop fires, identify landslips and even catch people just before they step onto the railway. Being able to warn people early and prevent danger has been hugely beneficial.”

Wider rail safety patrols across the North East

Separately, this week (13–17 April), operations have expanded across a wider area. The expanded area includes Eaglescliffe to Saltburn, Billingham to Nunthorpe and the Darlington to Bishop Auckland line. The work is again focused on known trespass hotspots. It uses a combination of ground patrols and drones, as reported by Railway-News.

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