NETWORK RAIL AND BTP TALK SAFETY WITH KIRKINTILLOCH PUPILS
Network Rail in partnership with British Transport Police (BTP), recently delivered safety talks to two local primary schools, Gartconner and St Agatha’s, as part of the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme’s (EGIP) wider community engagement and safety activities.
Primary one to seven pupils from each school listened as BTP Constable Alan McLaughlin highlighted the dangers of playing on or near an electrified railway line. He then showed a film to reinforce the message of how to stay safe, followed by a Q&A session with pupils.
The school safety talks are part of Network Rail’s wider EGIP stakeholder engagement, as it delivers a rolling programme of electrification across the central belt in one of Scotland’s largest ever infrastructure investments.
As well as electrification, work next to Drumgrew roundabout is raising the height of the bridge at the railway to provide the required height clearance for the overhead electric lines. Following demolition in October of last year, the new structure should be completed by April 2016.
Colin Cluer, site manager delivering the bridge programme at Drumgrew, said: “Given the level of activity underway at the moment across some 40 miles of track, it’s natural that there is some level of curiosity about what is happening on the railway, particularly from children.
“We have a responsibility to raise awareness of the dangers of playing on or near the track. The safety talks by BTP enable us to engage with the children and hopefully get the message across.”
Paul Manley, Head Teacher of St Agatha’s Primary School, said: “We appreciate Network Rail and BTP taking the time to visit the school. The pupils were engaged by the presentation, it brought home the importance of how to stay safe and why this is critical. It also generated a number of questions from the children during the Q&A session.”
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