Transport for Wales is holding a pop-up exhibition at St. David’s Centre in Cardiff to raise awareness of the dangers of trespassing on railway tracks, especially with the increased dangers of electrified Overhead Line Equipment.

The powerful and immersive pop-up comes as part of Transport for Wales ‘No Second Chances’ campaign and its location at the popular shopping centre is intended to capture attention whilst raising awareness.

The campaign offers a brutal visual representation of the harm that can come to people from electrification from Overhead Line Equipment.

The exhibit features the clothing of fictional victims in order to get the message across. Displays feature an array of clothing in differing sizes and styles and ages in order to show that the power of electricity is indiscriminate, highlighting the extreme dangers of trespassing on the railway.

May saw Wales’ very first stretch of Overhead Line Equipment electrified on the Core Valleys line and the ‘No Second Chances’ campaign has been organised to coincide with this.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the additional dangers of trespassing on the railway created by Overhead Line Equipment in a bid to put people off of trespassing and antisocial activity, especially those from a younger age group.

The educational pop-up opens today (Tuesday the 27th of June) and also Wednesday the 28th of June.

Invitations to schools have been sent to those in the area of the new Overhead Line Equipment and will also take part in further educational activities, including quizzes and creating t-shirts with safety messages inspired by what they have learned.

2022 saw over 1,000 incidents of trespass and antisocial behaviour take place on the Core Valleys Line. Because of the installation of Overhead Line Equipment, the risk of death or extreme injury has increased enormously since going ‘live’ last month. The overhead lines carry a massive 25,000 volts of electricity, giving anyone who trespasses a one-in-ten chance of survival. The heat from such a shock can reach over 3,000 degrees.

Transport for Wales is taking both safety and security around the electrified tracks extremely seriously and has taken increased measures such as new fencing and extended safety barriers across key locations.

Despite best efforts being made, cable theft and damage are still on the rise, which proves that people are still taking ridiculous risks in trespassing on the railway despite the additional dangers.

Lois Park, Head of Community and Stakeholder Engagement at TfW, said: “Bringing OLE to the railway network here in Wales is an exciting milestone for Transport for Wales, helping to make trains smoother, quieter and more energy efficient. But it comes with increased risks for those who choose to trespass on the network.”

“Trespassing on the railway has always been dangerous, but the introduction of OLE means that – for those who may have gotten away with trespassing on the lines in the past – the risk of serious injury and death is now significantly higher. We know young people are some of the most likely to trespass on railway lines. This pop-up experience has been designed to serve as a brutal reminder of the danger of trespassing on the railway, and to educate young people about OLE in an engaging way, which we hope will have a lasting impact.”

“The OLE system has been designed to keep people safe and as long as everyone respects the railway boundary and does not trespass onto the railway, they will be as safe. Electricity from OLE can jump, so you don’t have to touch it directly to be electrocuted. People should stay at least 2.75m away from the OLE at all times and take extra care when carrying objects such as umbrellas, helium balloons and fishing rods.”
As well as the threat of electrification, severe burns and ultimately death, those trespassing on the rail network could also receive a fine of up to £1,000.”