Revellers warned over railway station safety over Christmas period

Christmas revellers are being urged to "keep a clear head" on the rail network after shocking footage showed people stumbling on to tracks.
A man (left) about to fall on to the tracks at a railway stationA man (left) about to fall on to the tracks at a railway station
A man (left) about to fall on to the tracks at a railway station

Accidents involving drunken passengers spike during the festive period with drunken passengers misusing level crossings and suffering trips and slips on platforms, stairs and escalators.

Mad Friday - when many people fill pubs, bars and clubs on the last Friday before Christmas - falls on December 22 this year, and December 15 is also expected to be a popular night for partygoers.

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Around one in six of the 7,419 drink-related incidents on Britain's railways in 2016/17 took place between November 24 and January 2, British Transport Police (BTP) figures show.

A man (left) about to fall on to the tracks at a railway stationA man (left) about to fall on to the tracks at a railway station
A man (left) about to fall on to the tracks at a railway station

BTP and Network Rail are holding alcohol awareness events at Britain's busiest stations in the run-up to Christmas and targeting people in pubs near stations.

Allan Spence, head of public and passenger safety at NetworkRail, warned that the railway "can be a dangerous place".

He said: "We're reminding the public to remain alert whilst they're having fun over the festive season.

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"Taking a short cut across the tracks, chancing it at level crossings or tripping at the platform edge can at best cause delays to your journey - at worse it can result in serious harm.

A man (left) about to fall on to the tracks at a railway stationA man (left) about to fall on to the tracks at a railway station
A man (left) about to fall on to the tracks at a railway station

"Enjoy yourself but don't let alcohol stop you or your fellow passengers from getting to where you need to be. Keep a clear head."

Twenty-one people have been killed and 91 seriously injured in alcohol-related incidents at platform edges over the past decade.

BTP is also stepping up patrols at railway stations due to a rise in physical attacks.

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The number of violent offences reported at stations in Britain over the festive period last year rose by 14% compared with 2015/16.

Chief inspector John Loveless said the increase was largely due to people drinking too much and "behaving in a way that would shock them and their family and friends if they were sober".

He went on: "There is no excuse for spoiling other people's journeys or behaving any differently because you've drunk alcohol."

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