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Every year we carry stories of attacks on trains or of obstacles being placed on railway lines. It seems that every year, too, we report on campaigns designed to catch or deter those responsible. Yet still the criminal activity continues.

Last month a block of concrete and items of scrap metal were wedged into points outside Bradford Interchange in what can only be interpreted as a deliberate attempt to derail a commuter train. And last Saturday a shopping trolley and part of a wheelbarrow were thrown on to the track at Dalcross Green, in West Bowling. Fortunately an accident was averted when a driver managed to stop his train and remove the items.

There is a tendency to describe these incidents as "mindless vandalism". They are not. They are deliberately thought-out acts of malicious criminality. Those who booby-trap the lines in this way cannot be unaware that the result could be serious injury and possible loss of life. Depressingly, when a Northern Rail spokesman warns that "it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or even killed as a result of one of these incidents", he is probably only giving voice to the vandals' ambitions.

Railway police and train crews need to be extra vigilant for signs of any potential mischief likely to be caused by children and young people with nothing more constructive to do with their time than try to cause a rail crash.

And the general public need to help them as much as possible by reporting any suspicions to either the Transport Police on 0800 405040 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

10:04am Friday 9th May 2008

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