Press Release: Transport for Wales
A rail safety educational programme was today (Friday 20 Sept) launched in Wales by Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates.
Rail Safe Friendly was created by Learn Live and teaches young people about the dangers of trespassing on Britain’s railways, aiming to raise awareness, save lives and prevent injuries.
Transport for Wales, Network Rail and Learn Live partnered to launch the programme at Ysgol Bryn Alyn in Wrexham.
The programme provides schools and the rail industry with an opportunity to work together towards a common goal to educate children and young people on the many dangers that are present on the railway.
Rail safety education is delivered via live or on demand broadcasts using the Learn Live channel and will be used digitally in classrooms or assembly halls.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates said: “The importance of working together to educate young people about rail safety is clear.
"It is important to remember that the railway is safe for those who use it correctly and safety messaging saves lives. I am pleased to be here to mark the launch of the Rail Safe Friendly campaign here in Wales.
“It’s great to be here at Ysgol Bryn Alyn and be able to discuss this important issue with the pupils.”
Melanie Lawton, Community Rail Strategy Lead, TfW said: “We are proud to partner with Learn Live to bring this programme to schools in Wales. Trespass on the railway remains a high risk and the risk is even greater with the introduction of Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) and increased services on the network.”
Stuart Heaton, Managing Director of Rail Safe Friendly and Learn Live, said: “We are delighted to be working with Transport for Wales and Network Rail Wales on the Rail Safe Friendly programme. Through their support we will be able to reach even more children with vital rail safety awareness with the aim of saving lives and preventing injuries on the country’s rail network and in yards, depots and sidings.
“It is crucial that children receive vital knowledge, at a young age, to keep them rail safe. The Rail Safe Friendly programme seeks to educate children and young people on the many dangers that are present on the railway.”
About Rail Safe Friendly
Learn Live runs innovative, interactive, moderated online news channels that bring a world of opportunity and experiences directly into the classroom, home, or business. Each interactive Learn Live broadcast can be attended by an unlimited number of schools/colleges, job seekers or businesses simply by logging into the channel online.
The Learn Live News Channels continuously link schools/colleges/universities to employers and are working successfully with companies like Network Rail, Balfour Beatty, DWP, Gatwick Airport, Brook and The NHS amongst others to deliver PSHE broadcasts across the UK.
Rail Safe Friendly is run by Learn Live, and it was launched in March 2023 to deliver Network Rail’s video safety content directly to schools via the Learn Live Channel. Already, nearly 6,000 UK schools are on board with the programme and industry partners from across the rail sector have sponsored and become partners in it.
There are three levels to the Rail Safe Friendly Programme for schools to achieve:
Bronze level - A school will ensure that all pupils and teachers have watched the rail safety broadcast either live or on demand via the Learn Live channel. Schools will need to register to confirm their attendance and provide feedback after the broadcast has been viewed by the students. Schools will also need to sign up to the ‘Switched On’ Rail Safety website to receive rail safety updates from Network Rail.
Silver level - To achieve the Silver level, a school will need to have completed the Bronze level and communicated to parents and carers the details of the rail safety broadcasts. This can be done via newsletters, parent assemblies, school websites, social media channels or other forms of communication used by a school. The school will also be asked to promote the Switched-On Rail Safety website on their social media channels.
Gold level - To achieve the Gold level, a school will need to have completed the Bronze and Silver levels and create a rail safety video, podcast or poster with their students to promote rail safety in their school and on social media channels using a brief provided by Learn Live.
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