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Railway crimes cost North West £7.8m last year

Emma StanleyNorth West
Network Rail View of a railway track running through a wooded area, with two people in dark clothing and with hidden faces walking beside the line on a gravel embankment surrounded by leaf-covered ground and sparse treesNetwork Rail
Trespassing is one of the biggest contributors to delays for passenger services and freight trains, Network Rail said

Railway crimes in the North West cost taxpayers £7.8m last year, with trespassing accounting for nearly £6m of that total, Network Rail said.

It said trespassing was not only "extremely dangerous" but also one of the biggest contributors to delays for passenger and freight services.

Last year, trespass incidents across the region caused 141,000 minutes of delays to individual train services, the equivalent of more than three months of delayed trains, the operator said.

Other crimes, including cable theft and vandalism, cost £1.8m and hundreds of hours of delays.

'A clear warning'

Network Rail has pledged to work closely with British Transport Police (BTP) and launched the Crime with Consequences campaign to crack down on crimes on the railway and strengthen prosecutions.

Across the UK, drones, sensors and smart CCTV are all helping Network Rail and the BTP identify and catch offenders faster and more consistently.

Kevin Siddell, head of crime and security for the North West, said the campaign is "a clear warning that anyone who commits crime on the railway risks facing serious consequences for their actions".

Network Rail Aerial view of two people in dark clothing walking alongside a railway track running through a wooded areaNetwork Rail
Network Rail and BTP are now using drones, sensors and smart CCTV to identify and catch offenders

Supt Darren Malpas, of British Transport Police, said: "Anyone trespassing on the railway or attempting to steal cable risks serious injury or death.

"Through closer collaboration, improved intelligence, new technology and stronger evidence gathering, we're working tirelessly to identify offenders, bring them to justice and protect the communities and passengers who rely on the railway every day."

Network Rail said it recorded the following in the North West in 2025/26:

  • 1,785 incidents of trespass - accounting for 141,131 minutes of delays and costing £5,934,137.
  • 114 vandalism incidents - accounting for 10,121 minutes of delays and costing £603,013.
  • Nine reported cable thefts - accounting for 19,940 minutes of delays and £1,223,775 in costs.

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