Issue 252 - MEWAN

I n t o u c h w i t h y o u 2 0 1 2 / 2 0 1 3Headline School Council Events Training General CircularsGeneralMessing around on the railway can kill!With the summerholidays fastapproaching I amtaking the opportunityto ask you to remindyour students about thedangers of trespassingand vandalism on therailway.This time of year, with the lighter nights, istraditionally the time when route crime incidentssuch as stone throwing, putting obstructions in frontof trains, trespassing and lineside vandalism begin toincrease across the railway.Not only is it illegal to trespass on the tracks(incurring a fine of up to £1000) it is also extremelydangerous for both the trespasser themselves and forthose working or travelling on the railway.Sadly, in 2011 alone 50 people were killed aftertrespassing on the railway and there were over 400near misses. Trespassers simply don’t realise thateven after a train has put on its brakes it can travelup to 2,000 metres (the length of about 20 PremierLeague football pitches) before stopping. Not onlythat but wind turbulence produced by trains can dragsomeone standing by the tracks under the train’swheels.Statistically most trespassing and vandalism incidentson the railway are committed by boys aged betweeneight and 16 but children as young as five has beenfound risking their lives by playing on the tracks.Network Rail has set up a website called ‘Rail Life’(www.rail-life.co.uk) dedicated to educating youngpeople on the dangers and providing real lifeexamples of the consequences of trespassing onthe railway and I would be grateful if you couldencourage your students to thinkAnyone witnessing dangerous or illegal behaviour onthe railway should contact the British Transport Policeon 0800 40 50 40.Contact: Laura McHughTel: 0141 555 4523Email: laura.mchugh@networkrail.co.ukStanding with MalalaDo you remember Malala Yousafzai?She’s the 15 year-old that the Pakistani Taliban tried toassassinate last October because of her strong voicein the fight for women’s rights and youth education.The Taliban gunmen shot her in front of her peers-- but she survived and she has not stopped fighting.On 12 July, she marked her sixteenth birthday byspeaking at the UN. She delivered the first ever set ofeducation policy recommendations written for youth,by youth.I just signed a letter to the UN Secretary Generaltelling him, and the world, that Malala does not standalone in her fight for universal youth education. Willyou sign it as well?https://secure.aworldatschool.org/malala-friendshareThank you for supporting this cause with me. Everysignature really does make a difference!Contact: Jenny PattersonTel: 0771 752 7750Email: j.patterson@manchester.gov.uk20