Network Rail Press Releases........ 15th August 2012

PROFESSOR GREEN: STOP LISTENING TO MY MUSIC…AT A LEVEL CROSSING



Music artist Professor Green is encouraging people to stop listening to his music. Why? He’s teamed up with Network Rail for its latest safety campaign asking people to remove their headphones at level crossings so they aren’t distracted from warnings about approaching trains.
*Two people have tragically died this year at footpath crossings where it is thought they were wearing headphones. In the past five years, train drivers or railway staff have reported 19 incidents where pedestrians, joggers or cyclists wearing headphones have crossed the railway, seemingly oblivious to the approaching train.
The new digital campaign– Lose Your Headphones – features the popular rapper in a video which will appear on the music streaming service Spotify as well as being promoted via social media sites such as Twitter. Network Rail is also encouraging people to spread the word about removing headphones by offering a prize of Sonos music speakers to five lucky winners who re-tweet the campaign message.

Professor Green spoke about why he’s supporting the new campaign: “I never imagined asking people to stop listening to my music but this is about staying safe, so just for a minute, I want them to stop. I know it’s very easy to get caught up in a track when you have your headphones on and get distracted from where you are and what’s around you but I’m asking, please, lose your headphones when at a level crossing and pay attention to all the safety warnings. I don’t want anyone to end up on the tracks listening to one of mine.”

Martin Gallagher, Network Rail’s head of level crossings said: “People wear headphones all the time nowadays; on the train, walking down the street, and even cycling or in the shops. We think though that there are times when it makes sense to stop the music and devote your full attention to where you’re going.

“Trains can travel up to 125mph on the main British rail network and even with safety warnings such as lights and signs at footpaths across the tracks, it’s easy to get distracted if you’re caught up with your favourite tune. If Professor Green is asking people to stop listening to his music just for a few minutes, we hope people will listen up, lose their headphones, and not their lives.”

Dr Bruno Fazenda, from the Acoustics Research Centre, University of Salford said: “Hearing is the only sense that can warn us of dangers we can’t see and when listening to music with headphones we become isolated and are less likely to hear sounds that might tell us of approaching dangers. It’s not just the volume of the music but also because the headphone itself blocks out ambient noise. There is also plenty of evidence which shows that when you are doing two activities at the same time, such as listening to music or texting and crossing a railway track, your attention gets divided in such a way that you might not notice an approaching train even if all the warning signals are there. I love listening to music on the go but I would definitely put up with just a few moments of dull silence for a better chance to keep my life.”
The campaign will run over the next four weeks. For more information on Network Rail’s work to reduce risk at level crossings, visit: http://www.networkrail.co.uk/level-crossings/

Notes:

You can view the video on You Tube at: www.networkrail.co.uk/loseurheadphones

*A 15 year old girl was killed at Johnson’s footpath crossing in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire in January 2012. A set of headphones was found near by.

*In May 2012, a 30 year old man was killed after cycling over Kingsmill Barrow level crossing near Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Notts. News reports suggest he was wearing headphones.
Types of level crossings for pedestrians:

Footpath crossings - around 3000
User worked crossings - around 2500
Station crossings - around 200
GLOUCESTER TO BRISTOL PARKWAY

Services between Gloucester and Bristol Parkway are likely to resume after 08.45am today following disruption overnight.

A tamping machine working on the Down Line between Wickwar and Yate broke down and was unable to continue.

This meant that a possession order over-ran, causing disruption to services between Gloucester and Bristol Parkway.
The failed tamper has been removed and a new machine brought in to complete the work. Network Rail hopes to hand back the line at 08.45am.
First Great Western and CrossCountry services will divert via Lydney and Swindon. Road transport has been arranged to serve Cam, Dursley and Yate.


IMPROVED ACCESS AT SWANLEY STATION IN TIME FOR THE PARALYMPIC GAMES 
New lifts which will improve access at a station close to a Paralympic Games venue in Kent have been opened to the public.
Network Rail installed the lifts at Swanley station in time for the Paralympic Games after nearby Brands Hatch was announced as the venue for the cycling.
The lifts are part of a wider multi-million pound project, funded through the government's Access for All scheme and national stations improvement programme, which will also see an improved station building, better signage and information, a refurbished ticket office, 30 new cycling spaces and better toilet facilities.
Fiona Taylor, Network Rail's route managing director for Kent, said: "Since Brands Hatch was announced as the cycling venue for the Paralympic Games, we have worked hard to deliver better access at Swanley station. The lifts will make a big difference during the games as well as to the daily travel experience of thousands of passengers for many years to come.”
Vince Lucas, service delivery director for Southeastern, said: "With the Olympics now behind us, we’re concentrating our efforts on delivering the best possible service for our regular customers and the up-coming Paralympic period. We’re pleased that the lifts are now ready to go; this will make a big difference to the accessibility of this station, particularly during the Paralympic Games when our services and stations will again be extra busy.
“Our advice to passengers or spectators requiring our assisted travel service during the Games is to book ahead by contacting Southeastern customer services on 0845 000 2222.”
Work will continue on the remaining improvements to be made at Swanley station and are due to be completed later this year