Safety first: Leeds Station hosts Safety Week for 600 schoolchildren

Network Rail have teamed up with Leeds United and rail industry partners to teach local schoolchildren about rail safety in a week-long event at Leeds City Station.

Train operators Northern, CrossCountry, LNER and TPE, alongside the British Transport Police, Railway Children and Leeds United FC, are all working with Network Rail to deliver workshops and activities to 600 primary school students from Monday 15 to Friday 19 May. 

Local schools from across West Yorkshire are coming to the station throughout the week, with students rotating around the various activities in smaller groups. They will learn how to safely navigate rail stations, including how to use the departure boards and escalators correctly. Northern are also offering them the chance to sit in the driver’s seat on one of their trains.  

Students will also have the chance to explore the Dark Arches underneath the station, as well as seeing how the British Transport Police respond to trespass incidents using their drones and marked vehicles. The Leeds United foundation will run sessions on the station’s north concourse, with educational games linked to rail safety facts. Students also have the opportunity to meet players from the club’s women’s and under-21’s team. 

Chloe Creffield, Community Safety Manager for Network Rail’s North and East Route, said: “Leeds Station Safety Week will teach vital rail safety messages to school children in West Yorkshire. They will learn all about the dangers present on the railway, what the laws are, and what the consequences could be.” 

“Having the support of so many partners is fantastic, and it’s helped to create a really exciting package that we can deliver to all the students that are attending the event.” 

The wider area around Leeds City Station contains several trespass and incident hotspots, such as Crossgates, Honley and Outwood, which causes significant delays for passengers. By delivering these workshops and activities, Network Rail, along with industry partners, aim to combat anti-social behaviour on the railway. 

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