Network Rail Enhances Railway Safety Awareness with Virtual Reality Workshops
Network Rail has conducted a series of railway safety workshops at Trinity Academy in Thorne, Doncaster, utilizing virtual reality (VR) technology to educate students on the perils of railway trespassing. These interactive sessions, coordinated by Network Rail’s Community Safety team and the British Transport Police, have reached 100 thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds, focusing on railway safety and the hazards associated with trespassing.
The workshops employ cutting-edge VR headsets that present two impactful scenarios involving young people to provide a first-person, 360-degree perspective on the serious consequences of railway trespassing. One scenario demonstrates a group of teenagers where one individual, distracted by their phone, is struck by an approaching train. The other scenario offers the viewpoint of a train driver approaching trespassers on the tracks.
In addition to the VR experience, Network Rail staff provided presentations on topics such as trespassing, vandalism, and electrical safety, while the British Transport Police showcased their equipment, including a drone used to monitor trespassing across large areas. These activities were part of a broader crime and safety awareness day hosted by the charity Prison Me, No Way.
The success of these workshops has led to plans to expand the VR headsets and comprehensive safety sessions to more schools and universities along the East Coast route, aiming to enhance young people’s awareness of railway safety. Robert Merry, Network Rail’s Community Safety Manager for East Coast Route, emphasized the importance of educating young people about railway safety and the dangers of trespassing.
Elizabeth Muthiah, Teacher of MFL and PSHE Co-ordinator at Trinity Academy, praised the effectiveness of the rail safety session in conveying the dangers of the railway to students and promoting safe behavior around railway lines.
