Passengers in the Thames Valley urged to take care when travelling this Christmas: Mr Christmas shopper - Station safety poster

Tuesday 11 Dec 2012

Passengers in the Thames Valley urged to take care when travelling this Christmas

Region & Route:
| Wales & Western: Western
| Wales & Western

153 people have been involved in slips, trips or falls at stations across the Thames Valley in 2011/12 – the majority at Paddington station (53) - so Network Rail is urging passengers to watch their step in the run up to Christmas.

A new digital and poster campaign highlights how running for a train with bags of shopping or attempting to carry heavy luggage on an escalator can end up with bruised pride as well as the body, and urges people to take care when travelling by rail over the festive period.

Patrick Hallgate, Network Rail route managing director, said: “A combination of more people carrying Christmas shopping, trailing wheelie suitcases, wet and windy weather and people travelling late after festive parties, make December a time where we see more people take a tumble.

“We don’t want to see anyone hurt at our stations so we’ll be doing what we can to keep concourses dry and clean and signposting lifts clearly for those with heavy luggage. Please plan ahead so you don’t end up rushing to catch your train - falling over could be a miserable end to an enjoyable evening.”

Nationally, more than 3,000 people have been involved in slips, trips or falls in Britain’s stations with incidents involving luggage rising by 70% since 2004/5, according to latest figures published by Network Rail. Most incidents involved people slipping on the concourse (1,488), falling down stairs (1,120) or on the platform (899) with more than 500 falls on escalators and over 400 people who fell when running. Incidents involving luggage have risen by 70% since 2004/5 with 614 recorded injuries, accounting for a fifth of the total. More than 400 incidents involved a person who was intoxicated.

December 2011 saw 322 incidents, accounting for around 10% of the total.

Fridays were the most common day for a slip, trip or fall to occur with more than a third (1,158) occurring between 5pm and 2.30am.

Notes to editors

National figures:
Recorded slips, trips and falls at Britain’s railway stations from 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012. Figures supplied by RSSB (Rail Safety and Standards Board)

 

Total: 3118
On escalators 512
On stairs: 1120
On the concourse 1488
On a platform 899
Involved people running 425
Person intoxicated 437
During December 322 (10%)

Rail industry activities to prevent slips, trips and falls at stations:

- New digital and poster campaign including using customer information screens

- Bringing back travel champions who worked during the Olympics

- Many station staff are trained first aiders

- Mats placed across station concourses to prevent slipping on wet surfaces during poor weather

- Public address messages encouraging people to use lifts if carrying heavy luggage or bulky bags

- Escalators may be switched off earlier, which helps to prevent people losing their balance.

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries

Journalists
Network Rail press office - South East route
020 3357 7969
southeastroutecomms@networkrail.co.uk

About Network Rail

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