POSTERS have begun appearing next to rail lines across Fenland as part of a long term campaign by The Samaritans and Network Rail to reduce suicides on the railways.
The Samaritans say suicides on the railways make up around four per cent of the 6,000 total annual numbers of suicides in the UK, with suicides by men three times more common than those by females.
The Samaritans say that on average one person a day tries to take their life on the railway.
Their spokesman said: “This has serious consequences for drivers, station staff, passengers, members of the public who witness these incidents, police officers and all those who rely on our railway infrastructure. “
Last year The Samaritans launched their ‘we’re in your corner’ campaign which includes posters and other initiatives aimed at reaching out to people who may pose a suicide risk,
The Samaritans and Network Rail partnership is tackling both the human and the financial costs of suicides on the railway.
The aim is to achieve a 20 per cent reduction in railway suicides by 2015 although the Samaritans say this will be “challenging.
“The financial downturn is likely to have a negative effect on the lives of middle-aged working class men, who are the members of society most vulnerable to suicide.”
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