Shocking footage of people skylarking on rail lines and dodging oncoming trains has prompted Queensland Rail to launch a new campaign targeting trespassing.

The Courier-Mail can reveal there were 2835 reports of trespassing last financial year, of which 167 were classified as near misses with locomotives.

There were also 119 people charged with 1304 graffiti offences in 2019-20, with 287 trains tagged over the same period.

The new campaign, Hard Pass to Trespass, comes in reaction to footage showing people risking their lives to run over rail tracks to trek from platform to platform.

A video still of trespassing on the QR network. Picture: Queensland Rail

Queensland Rail senior manager (security and emergency preparedness) Drew Brock said the shocking figures were partially a result of laziness.

“Common motives for trespassing include taking shortcuts across railway tracks and between station platforms as well anti-social behaviour such as vandalism,” Mr Brock said.

“The number of people continuing to trespass on our network is extremely concerning, which is why we’ve developed a new safety campaign to promote safer and smarter behaviour around the rail network.”

Trains on the Queensland Rail network can travel up to 160km/h and could take 2km to come to a complete stop.

A video still of trespassing on the QR network. Picture: Queensland Rail

“We want everyone in the community to get home safely and enjoy the holiday season, including our train drivers and customers, which is why it’s incredibly important for members of the community to only cross railway tracks at designated crossings where it’s safe to do so,” Mr Brock said.

A video still of trespassing on the QR network. Picture: Queensland Rail

Trespassers face on-the-spot fines of $266.

Queensland’s 2500km rail network is policed by a special ‘rail squad’ of QPS, which deploys motorbikes, explosive-sniffing police dogs and a “mobile police station” to crack down on crime.