Network Rail has delivered safety education to more than 7,000 schoolchildren in the West Midlands, as part of a regional campaign aimed at reducing trespass and disruption on the rail network during the summer holidays.
The initiative, coordinated by the company’s Central route from its Milton Keynes headquarters, reflects ongoing efforts to address public safety risks that can lead to operational delays across the rail system. Incidents involving unauthorised access to the railway contributed to over a million minutes of delay last year.
Since Easter, Network Rail’s community safety manager Manny Kang has visited 53 schools and community groups across the region, delivering interactive sessions focused on railway safety. The sessions form part of a wider preventative strategy to educate young people during the extended school break, when misuse of level crossings and trespass incidents typically rise.
“Keeping young people safe near the railway is not just a community duty – it’s critical to the reliability of the network,” said Kang, who was recently named ITV Fundraiser of the Year at the 2024 Pride of Britain Awards. “Each incident not only endangers lives but contributes to widespread disruption.”
Based in Wolverhampton, Kang is also the face of Network Rail’s ‘hidden heroes’ campaign, which highlights the role of frontline staff in maintaining the safety and resilience of the rail system. Alongside his safety work, he has raised thousands of pounds for Dementia UK through grassroots fundraising efforts, including his well-known ‘Samosa Saturdays’ initiative at Wolverhampton Wanderers FC.
Network Rail’s headquarters in Milton Keynes continues to serve as the operational hub for national and regional programmes, combining infrastructure management with a growing emphasis on community engagement.
Further details on the ‘guardian of the community’ campaign can be found at www.networkrail.co.uk/campaigns/hidden-heroes.
