Plea for better rail safety in Portsmouth to stop 'gaps' which can be used as a shortcut

Crowds of people have turned out to lay flowers, candles and photos of Jake Norman following his death

A motion was tabled during a recent Portsmouth City Council meeting by Councillor Hannah Brent, member for Drayton and Farlington ward. It stems from the tragic incident involving 16-year-old Jake Norman, who was pronounced dead at the scene in Cosham Railway Station on April 24 this year. Jake’s death deeply affected the community, inspiring heartfelt tributes from family, friends, teachers, and classmates.

When introducing the motion, Cllr Brent delivered a message on behalf of Jake’s mother which read: “I want to say how devastated we are at the loss of our son and brother and we want to make sure no other family goes through such a tragedy. This is why we would like to raise as much awareness of safety on the railways.”

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Cllr Brent added: “As a councillor I believe it’s our duty to protect our residents – many of our wards all have railway lines from Portsbridge to Portsmouth and Southsea, it’s unacceptable to hear that there are gaps which can be used as an access or a shortcut.

“The gap somewhere between Hilsea and Cosham is one known to young people who have used it to cross the line, this is an accident waiting to happen and sadly, devastatingly, it did.”

The motion requested party leaders to contact Network Rail and the British Transport Police, urging them to develop rail safety awareness training tailored for local schools and colleges. It also calls for the promotion of such training through the Portsmouth Education Partnership’s weekly bulletin.

Additionally, the motion calls on Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, the cabinet member for transport, to engage with Network Rail to identify and implement safety improvements across Portsmouth’s rail network including potential access points.

The provisional inquest date into the circumstances of Jake’s death has been set for April 9, 2024, at the Portsmouth Coroner’s Court although this is subject to change.

Jake’s family described him as a “very strong-willed young man who always thought about others first” and was “adored” by friends and family.