The mother of 15-year-old Ricky Smith who was killed on the railway line at Halton Moor in Leeds in 1997 has appealed to other young people not to risk taking shortcuts across rail tracks.
Wendy Smith’s plea coincides with Network Rail’s new safety campaign targeting young people, males in particular, to prevent more deaths on the rails.
Network Rail said in Yorkshire alone there were 48 ‘near misses’ in 2011.
Speaking at Leeds station, Wendy said:
“It’s always difficult talking about what happened but it needs to be done. If we can stop another person being killed and another family facing the heartache we are still going through, then it’s worth it.
“My message is really simple – no matter how much time you think a shortcut will save you or how much your mates are saying it’s ok do NOT go onto the railway tracks. Your safety is more important than what your mates think.”
Network Rail has joined forces with British and World 400m hurdles champion Dai Greene to warn young men about the dangers of taking a short cut across the tracks.
Nationally, 88% of accidental trespass fatalities in the last ten years were male with around a third of them aged 18-25.
