The unspoken dangers of Railway Perimeter Safety
UK based security fencing specialist, Jacksons Fencing has revealed findings from a survey regarding UK railway perimeter safety.
With government plans to increase the railway infrastructure in the UK, research was commissioned to find out if perimeter safety was high on the design-agenda and what challenges civil engineers faced when designing-in ways to keep the public safe from harm.
The study found that, according to railway engineers and designers, the threat of โvandalismโ was the biggest concern to railway safety. This was followed by โtrespassers with criminal intentโ (42%) showing the growing need for effective security solutions on the UKโs railways. This could also be a further reflection of the recent spike in anti-social behaviour which is being seen across the UK as lockdown measures ease.
Railway engineers are also feeling the strain of the recent ramp in infrastructure projects, with 55% of respondents stating that โdesigns need to be completed within too short a time frameโ and that โsmall budgets are โmaking specifying difficultโ.
Beyond time and budget constraints, the survey also found that more needed to be done by the engineering community to understand the current standards associated with boundaries and safety. In fact, 68% of respondents agreed that more knowledge was needed overall.
The latest railway statistics in Great Britain also show that more needs to be done to protect the public from harm around railway lines.
In April 2019-May 2020, the Office for Rail and Road reported that suicide rates have risen over nine years, increasing from 192 fatalities in 2001/02 to 271 fatalities in 2018/19.
Passenger fatalities also increased, climbing from 9 in 2017-18 to 17 in 2018/19.
Peter Jackson, Managing Director, Jacksons Fencing said: โItโs clear from our research that transport security doesnโt rest solely on the policymakerโs or ownerโs shoulders. Engineering industry professionals also have a part to play in mitigating risks around railway border safety.
โWe can see from our result that this is not always easy, a lack of time at the specifying stage, tight budgets, and gaps in knowledge regarding the product options available are hindering progress.โ
โHere at Jacksons Fencing, we believe itโs the start of a vital conversation, and once civil engineers and designers fully understand the causes and solutions, theyโll have the confidence to choose the most appropriate, cost-effective security solutions, providing lifetime value and protection for decades to come.โ
To receive a copy of Jacksons Fencing โTransportโ whitepaper, sign upย here.
