Wales trains lose 1,000 hours to trespass and cable theft 2026

Key Points

• Trespassing and crimes involving the railways contributed to over 1,000 hours of delay in the Wales and Borders network in 2025/26.
• These delays came at a price of over £2.5 million to the railway industry with cable theft contributing to over 290 hours of delay and costs of £955,000.
• Network Rail identified 769 cases of trespassing leading to 44,441 minutes (over 740 hours) of delays.
• Railway vandalism and obstruction added another 31 hours of delay and costs of £64,500.
• A “Crime with Consequences” campaign has been initiated by Network Rail and British Transport Police employing drones, sensors, and intelligent CCTV systems.

Wales (Wales Times) October 01, 2026 — More than 1,000 hours of train delays were caused across the Wales and Borders route in 2025/26 by trespassers and criminals, according to new data released by Network Rail and the British Transport Police (BTP). The disruption, which equates to more than 44 days of lost journey time, has been attributed to incidents of trespass, cable theft, vandalism and deliberate obstruction, and has cost the rail industry more than £2.5 million.

What caused more than 1,000 hours of train delays in Wales?

In 2025/26, 769 trespass incidents were recorded across the Wales and Borders route, resulting in 44,441 minutes—over 740 hours—of train delays, Network Rail said. Cable theft alone accounted for more than 290 hours of delays, nearly double the previous year’s figure, and cost the industry more than £955,000. Vandalism and deliberate obstruction of trains caused more than 31 hours of delays and more than £64,500 in costs.

Craig Fisher, head of readiness and resilience at Network Rail Wales and Borders, said: “More than 1,000 hours of delays were caused by trespass, cable theft, vandalism and obstruction across our route last year, costing the industry more than £2.5 million.” “That is a completely unacceptable and entirely avoidable level of disruption and cost,” he added.

How much did rail crime cost passengers and the industry in 2025/26?

The total cost to the industry from trespass-related disruption in 2025/26 exceeded £2.5 million, according to figures cited by Network Rail and reported by the County Times. Cable theft was the single largest contributor to both delay minutes and financial loss, with more than 290 hours of delays and £955,000 in costs. Vandalism and obstruction added a further £64,500 in costs and 31 hours of delays.

Superintendent Darren Malpas of the British Transport Police said: “Cable theft and associated railway crimes like trespass aren’t victimless offences.” “They put lives at risk, cause significant disruption to passengers and freight services, and cost the rail industry millions of pounds every year, which ultimately ends up costing the public more,” he said.

What is the ‘Crime with Consequences’ campaign?

In response to the scale of disruption, Network Rail and BTP have launched a new campaign aimed at deterring criminal activity on the railways. The “Crime with Consequences” campaign will make sure potential offenders are aware they will face the full force of the law if they commit crimes on the railway, including severe fines or even prison sentences, according to a Network Rail media release.

The rail industry is using drones, sensors and smart CCTV to help identify and catch offenders faster and more consistently, Network Rail said. “Through closer collaboration, improved intelligence, new technology and stronger evidence gathering, we’re working tirelessly to identify offenders, bring them to justice and protect the communities and passengers who rely on the railway every day,” Superintendent Malpas said.

How are trespass incidents affecting train punctuality in Wales?

External fatalities and trespass across the Wales & Borders route continue to be one of the top causes of route delay, accounting for over 60,000 delay minutes across the route at the end of FY25, according to Network Rail’s Wales & Western Performance Improvement Report. In FY26, the region recorded a reduction in delay minutes from people-related root causes, but trespass remains a significant factor in overall performance.

Network Rail has delivered all 13 of its committed performance improvement activities specific to the Wales & Borders route, including trespass and route crime prevention, remote condition monitoring and a taskforce to optimise the December 2025 timetable, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) reported. Time to 3 performance (trains arriving within three minutes of schedule) improved from 76.0% in 2024–25 to 79.0% in 2025–26, supported by the route’s targeted focus on train performance.

What measures are being taken to reduce rail crime and trespass?

Network Rail has introduced welfare officers to prevent trespass at key Thames Valley stations and improved flood resilience along the Great Western Mainline, as part of wider efforts to reduce disruption, the ORR noted. On the Wales & Borders route, targeted trespass and route crime prevention activities have been delivered alongside remote condition monitoring and timetable optimisation.

The “Crime with Consequences” campaign is being rolled out across multiple routes, including East Midlands and Great Western, where trespass and rail crime caused more than 1,500 hours and 90 days’ worth of delays respectively in 2025/26. The campaign aims to highlight both the dangers and consequences of criminal activity on the rail network, according to BTP.

Background to the development

The latest figures follow a period of sustained regulatory and operational focus on improving performance across the Wales & Borders route. Since August 2024, Network Rail’s investments and changes to working practices have contributed to passenger cancellations reducing by more than a fifth at the end of 2025–26, and to an improvement in the percentage of trains arriving within three minutes of their scheduled time from 77.6% to 79.4%, the ORR reported. Delay per 1,000 miles improved by 1.84% since last year and 10% since the end of CP6, driven by improvements in fixed infrastructure, operating plan and people-related factors.

Despite these gains, trespass and associated crimes remain a persistent challenge. In FY24, the region was affected by 13 incidents leading to 15,355 delay minutes; FY26 shows a total of only 13,054 delay minutes, a reduction of 1,279 (or 9%), fewer delay minutes despite a higher number of significant rainfall events. However, external fatalities and trespass continue to feature prominently among the top causes of route delay, with over 60,000 delay minutes recorded at the end of FY25.

Prediction: how could this affect passengers and communities in Wales?

If trespass and rail crime are not further reduced, passengers on the Wales and Borders route could face continued exposure to avoidable delays, longer journey times and increased uncertainty in service reliability. The £2.5 million in delay costs recorded in 2025/26 represents resources that could otherwise be directed towards service improvements, infrastructure upgrades or fare stability, according to industry statements.

Conversely, if the “Crime with Consequences” campaign and associated technology deployments succeed in deterring offenders, passengers could benefit from fewer disruption events, more predictable timetables and improved punctuality metrics over the next 12–24 months. Reduced cable theft and vandalism would also lower repair and replacement costs, potentially easing pressure on operating budgets and supporting more consistent service delivery for communities reliant on the Wales and Borders network.