Plan for improved rail safety in Portsmouth after teen's tragic death

The Portsmouth City Council initiative came in response to a motion proposed by Councillor Hannah Brent in October, following the tragic death of Jake Norman with steps taken to improve rail safety across the city.

As previously reported by The News, the 16-year-old was found dead at the scene in Cosham Railway Station in April last year after a night out, a loss that profoundly impacted the local community, prompting heartfelt tributes from family, friends, teachers, and classmates.

Described as a “gentle giant”, Jake died was hit by a train in the early hours of the morning after enjoying a night out with family and friends. His family described him as a “very strong-willed young man who always thought about others first” and was “adored” by friends and family.

Cllr Brent’s motion called on the council’s transport cabinet member, Cllr Peter Candlish, to engage with Network Rail to explore safety improvements, with a focus on access points to railway lines throughout Portsmouth.

As part of the plan, railway boundaries have been reviewed and, where necessary, fence heights increased to improve safety. Network Rail has also begun working with local schools and colleges, aiming to deliver rail safety talks and demonstrations. Out of the 67 schools contacted within Portsmouth, five have responded, with three already booking face-to-face safety sessions.

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Cllr Candlish said: “I think this is a good notice of motion, some good things have been done. We need to make sure that there is engagement by the schools in the programme.”

He added: “I was at a stakeholders’ meeting with the rail bodies, there is a focus on this and they do respond to the interaction with us to try and address these, although they recognise they have a way to go. It’s a never-ending task.”

Ellie Burrows, southern regional managing director of Network Rail, wrote to the council leader, Cllr Steve Pitt, expressing their commitment to rail safety education. She said: “We are doing all that we can to educate young people about the railway – but we need your help to encourage uptake, promote engagement and improve the reach of our campaigns.”

She added: “We hope that together we will be able to work on engaging schools in the Portsmouth area and successfully increase their involvement in our various outreach initiatives.”