The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has released a report into an incident at the Great Central Railway whereby a passenger sustained serious injuries when alighting from a train at Loughborough Central.
On Saturday, 11th January 2023, at around 11:50am, a passenger was alighting from a train at Loughborough Central when he lost his footing and sustained a serious injury.
The train arrived into Platform 1 but the door used by the passenger opened onto the platform end ramp and this meant that the passenger, who was visually impaired, lost his footing when he was unable to negotiate the step down to the platform ramp.
The RAIB says that this is due to the platform length being only 2 metres longer than the train, and that the train’s brakes were not performing in a consistent manner.
The report has made three recommendations, these are:
- The first is addressed to Great Central Railway and relates to the assessment and control of risk, learning from previous events, and ensuring that the needs of disabled passengers are considered.
- The second recommendation, also addressed to Great Central Railway, relates to auditing and assurance of its risk management activities.
- The third recommendation is made to the Heritage Railway Association and relates to the provision of guidance on managing the risks around the passenger / train interface at heritage railway stations.
Responses
Glad to hear the injured person is OK and common sense prevails by the RAIB and GCR.
Personally I think most accidents (not just on railways) are usually caused by people’s ignorance, impatience and FOMO.
I am visually impared since the age of 11. I have had many a day at the GCR. I have been in the front carriage of trains that have had the front cRrage door over the ramp, on opening the door even with me being partially sighted i could see the drop and walked down the carriage to get off.
Also finding it difficult to walk I do agree that the height of the step from the carriage to the platform. Is big. However when I have gone to get out the station staff have always offered me the use of one of their step boxes.
I feel sorry for the person who was injured and thank god they dis nit demand door locks, which in this case would not have helped
sensible recommendations by (RAIB) hopefully a full recovery for the visually impaired person.
Keep up the excellent work where volunteers do exemplary work.
Keep up the great work all you volunteers do,
it’s a really great day out 😃
Sensible recommendations and not just a witch hunt to find someone to blame. Hope the person recovered.
Hi John
Are you by any chance the JD who worked in C & E
Brian
Unfortunately he died but not in a consequence of this accident.