Network Rail is continuing its drive to keep people off the tracks with a new rail safety campaign that tackles a hidden but persistent issue across Britain’s railways: intentional trespass by people taking what they believe is a harmless shortcut.
Rather than focusing on criminality, the campaign, devised by 23red, explores the everyday reasons people step onto the tracks, from saving a few minutes on a journey to getting to friends, work or social plans faster, and shows how those seemingly rational decisions can have devastating consequences.
Built around the proposition “The reason you go on the tracks is the reason you won’t leave them”, the campaign shines a light on the psychology behind trespass. It challenges the tunnel vision that occurs when people focus on a reward and overlook the real dangers around them, making risk feel as immediate and compelling as the perceived benefit of crossing the tracks.
The creative brings this idea to life through stark posters and powerful video content that connect everyday motivations with life-changing consequences. Hard-hitting message such as “Dying to get to the pub it’s not worth dying for” confront audiences with the reality that no appointment, journey or social occasion is worth risking their life for.
Supporting outdoor creative delivers a clear call to action: “Never take shortcuts across the tracks”, highlighting dangers including high-voltage electrified rails and trains that are faster and quieter than many people realise.
Launching nationwide this week, the campaign will run across social, digital, outdoor and partner channels, targeting young people and regular rail users most at risk of practical trespass.
Network Rail senior campaigns manager Lucy Dixon said: “Too often, people step onto the railway believing they’re saving a few seconds, without realising they’re risking their life. This campaign is designed to challenge that thinking and remind people that no shortcut is worth the consequences.”
23red senior creatives Ali Omar and Daryll Arthur added: “The strongest safety campaigns make people feel something. Instead of lecturing, we focused on the everyday motivations that lead people to trespass, connecting the reason someone takes the risk, with the tragic consequences that can follow.”
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