Greater Anglia Rolls Out Anti-Trespass Measures at 18 Stations Across Eastern England

Greater Anglia is installing new safety features at 18 railway stations across Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk in a bid to reduce trespass incidents, with all measures expected to be in place within the next few months.

The action follows a rise in disruption linked to people accessing the railway without permission. Last year alone, trespass incidents caused delays totalling more than 18 days, with over 440 hours of train delays recorded and 251 services cancelled.

The deterrents being introduced include additional fencing and gates, along with so-called “witches’ hats” — rubber ground spikes designed to discourage people from stepping onto the tracks.

Stations receiving the new measures are Attleborough, Brandon, Cromer, Diss, Eccles Road, Gunton, Harling Road, Lakenheath, Manea, March, Roughton Road, Shippea Hill, Spooner Row, St Margarets, Thetford, West Runton, Whittlesea and Wymondham.

Alongside physical safety improvements, Greater Anglia continues to work with the Samaritans and other train operators to support people who may be vulnerable. Staff receive specialist training to help them identify individuals at risk, approach them safely, and begin supportive conversations using effective listening techniques.

The training also covers how to guide someone to a place of safety and ensure they receive further help, whether through friends or family, the British Transport Police, or the Samaritans, which can be contacted 24 hours a day on 116 123.

Across the wider rail network, efforts to tackle trespass have increased. Network Rail has introduced drone patrols to monitor hotspots, and enforcement action continues — including a prison sentence handed down last October to a man who trespassed on railway lines in south London.

Matt Wakefield, Greater Anglia’s Safety, Security and Sustainability Director, said:“Safety is our absolute priority on the railway. These measures are intended to keep people away from the tracks and out of harm’s way. The railway is not a place to play, and entering it without permission puts lives at serious risk — including those of passengers and staff.“If anyone sees someone on the tracks, they should report it to rail staff immediately or call 999 in an emergency.”