Network Rail has revealed that trespass is the number one reason for delays, with more than 1,100 incidents being reported in the last year – leading to 2,500 hours of delays for passengers.
Now, trespassers on a railway in Leicester are being tracked by drones, controlled from London, as part of efforts to reduce delays. The drones are stored in boxes by the side of tracks and launched when there is a report of trespassing.
These drones are the first of their kind in the East Midlands and are being deployed in an area where trespassing has been reported previously.
Simon Bachelor, who leads the British Transport Police's (BTP’s) drones programme, said that when there are reported trespass incidents, they will now be able to get there first in order to make railways safer.
Network Rail already uses drones with pilots on the scene to find trespassers, however Mark Budden, East Midlands route director, hopes that working with BTP's drones will help them find trespassers easier and quicker - without putting staff at risk.