Parents have been urged to talk to their children about the dangers of antisocial behaviour and trespassing on railway lines after a shocking video captured the moment youths threw a bike onto the tracks.
CCTV footage at Cross Gates station in Leeds showed the two boys attempting to obstruct the railway lines in an act Network Rail warned could have caused a derailment — putting the lives of passengers at risk.
Sharing the 57-second clip to their Twitter, Network Rail branded the children’s actions as "absolutely shocking" and said it not only posed a risk to their own lives but also put "so many others in danger".
In the video, one boy can be seen cycling up to the tracks before leaving his white bicycle hanging over the edge of the platform, in an apparent attempt at obstructing the line.
A second boy, dressed in dark clothing and wearing a mask to cover his face, then runs out and throws the bike completely onto the line.
Network Rail is "urgently pleading" with parents to help educate children on their dangerous actions to help crack down on incidents at stations.
Vicki Beadle, Operations Risk Advisor for Network Rail said: “I was astounded to see this reckless, irresponsible behaviour so close to the tracks at Cross Gates station. The railway is no place for games, and it certainly isn’t a playground.
“Seeing these young people put their lives at risk was a staggering reminder of our collective need to educate everybody about railway safety.
"I’d urge parents and carers to speak to their children about the devastating consequences of trespass, vandalism and antisocial behaviour.”
The incident comes as new figures reveal that six of the 11 incidents reported at the Yorkshire-based train station in the past year have involved young people.
Network Rail warned that not only do the dangerous acts put lives at risk, but they also cause enormous amounts of delay.
It said that trespassing, vandalism and antisocial behaviour at Cross Gates station resulted in more than 300 minutes of train delays in the past year alone.
It added that the same type of careless action at the station in the last year cost the company £20,000.
Police have now increased patrols in the area in an attempt to prevent antisocial behaviour.
Sgt Rob Pile, British Transport Police said: "This shocking footage should act as a wake-up call to parents - we need them to talk to their children and teenagers urgently about the dangers of the railway and the impact of reckless behaviour like this.
"Apart from the obvious danger to themselves, placing items on the tracks can potentially cause a derailment and result in serious injury and potential loss of life to passengers and rail staff."
He added: "We have increased patrols in the area in a bid to deter behaviour like this. Those responsible should know they will be caught and face prosecution.
"You can help us by texting 61016 or calling us on 0800 405040 to report any incidents."
