The Rail Safety Project aims to enhance rail safety awareness across schools in Lanarkshire through a strategic partnership with Community Rail Partnership (CRP) members and the Learn Live team. This initiative is designed to educate students, parents, and teachers on the importance of rail safety, ultimately fostering a safer community and building future relationships with young rail users.
Project Overview
The project will engage 20 schools in Lanarkshire, comprising an equal mix of 10 primary and 10 secondary schools, to ensure a comprehensive reach across different age demographics. The participating schools will join the bronze level of the Rail Safe Friendly program, which involves a series of educational activities centered around rail safety.
Bronze Level Engagement
At the bronze level, each participating school will:
- Ensure all pupils and teachers view the rail safety broadcast, either live or on-demand, via the Learn Live channel.
- Register to confirm their participation and provide feedback post-broadcast.
- Sign up on the Switch On Rail Safety website to receive ongoing rail safety updates from Network Rail.
Five of these schools will participate in an interactive learning journey on a train, organized with the help of CRP volunteers. This hands-on experience aims to inspire safe travel habits and broaden travel aspirations among students.
Community Impact
The campaign will reach approximately 1,000 students, parents, and teachers, contributing over £3 million in social value, as estimated by the Rail Social Value Toolkit portal. Feedback from the local community highlights significant concerns about rail safety and underscores the positive impact such awareness initiatives can have on young minds, their peers, and families.
Objectives and Benefits
The primary objectives of the Rail Safety Project include:
- Raising rail safety awareness among primary and secondary school students.
- Enhancing community safety along the rail line served by CRP.
- Building strong, future-oriented relationships with schools for potential projects.
- Increasing visibility and awareness of CRP’s work in the area.
Feedback from British Transport Police (BTP) and Network Rail indicates that trespassing incidents in the region are a major concern. By educating young people about rail safety, the project aims to reduce these incidents and promote a culture of safety.
The Rail Safety Awareness Campaign in Lanarkshire schools represents a collaborative effort to address critical safety issues while fostering educational partnerships. By involving schools at the grassroots level, the project not only aims to improve immediate rail safety but also to build a foundation for sustained community engagement and safety consciousness among future generations.
