Railway related deaths

PFD Category

Reports: 103 Areas: 39 Earliest: Nov 2013 Latest: 5 Feb 2026

72% response rate (above 62% average). 36% of classified responses show concrete action taken. Reports fell 30% from 10 (2023) to 7 (2024).

Responded 74 No Response 3 Historic 23 Pending 2

Action Taken 36%

Action Planned 32%

Noted 21%

Disputed 11%

Based on 28 classified responses

Filter:

PFD Reports

103 results

George Dicker

Historic (No Identified Response)

2017-0083 13 Mar 2017 London (North)

Concerns summary There is no alarm or warning system to alert railway signallers when a person accesses the tracks via a gate at the end of a platform.

Derek Thomas

Historic (No Identified Response)

2017-0016 27 Jan 2017 Hampshire (North East)

HM Principal Inspector of Railways

Concerns summary The unmanned and unprotected railway crossing relies solely on a distant train horn for warning, with previously obscured visibility contributing to safety risks.

Thomas Coyne

Historic (No Identified Response)

2017-0207 19 Jan 2017 Cheshire

Concerns summary Inadequate CCTV coverage at the station and the absence of physical barriers at platform ends allowed unmonitored access to the tracks, posing a serious safety risk.

Lauris Kodors

Historic (No Identified Response)

2016-0357 13 Sep 2016 London (North)

Concerns summary The RSSB Rule Book inadequately permits stopping trains only when a person threatens damage to the train, not when a person is in danger from an approaching train.

Stephen Cahill

2016-0304 23 Aug 2016 Bedfordshire and Luton

Concerns summary Easy access to the railway line through inadequate fencing and an access gate poses a risk, and a recommended review of these security measures has not been carried out.

Susan Hamlett

2016-wp25372 4 Aug 2016 Bedfordshire and Luton

Richard Hinchliffe

Historic (No Identified Response)

2016-0234 24 Jun 2016 London Inner (South)

Concerns summary Concerns include inadequate security of railway platform barriers and a lack of monitoring for a passenger asleep on the platform for an extended period at a 24-hour staffed station.

Michael Younghusband

2016-0235 23 Jun 2016 Exeter and Greater Devon

Great Western Railway

Concerns summary A railway crossing point was in a poor state, with a section standing proud of the track, presenting a significant tripping hazard for users.

Anna Masson

2016-0108 15 Mar 2016 Central Hampshire

Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust

Concerns summary A new mental health referral screening pathway, conducted by junior staff, may not be robust enough to identify urgent cases, and there is inconsistent practice across the Trust's mental health teams.

Jakovas Fofonovas

2016-0077 26 Feb 2016 London Inner (South)

Concerns summary Safety recommendations from a British Transport Police report to restrict public access and enhance safety at a railway bridge remained unaddressed by the time of the inquest.

Ashley Matthews

2015-0297 23 Jul 2015 Black Country

British Transport Police

Concerns summary Insecure perimeter fencing allowed unauthorized access to the railway site, and there was a lack of warning signs for high voltage cabling on the bridge.

Adam Connelly

Partially Responded

2015-0284 17 Jul 2015 Manchester (West)

Network Rail British Transport Police

Concerns summary The low height of walls accessing a railway footbridge allowed easy public access to tracks, creating a significant risk of future fatalities that Network Rail needs to address.

Lewis Ghessen

Historic (No Identified Response)

2015-0213 9 Jun 2015 London (North)

Rail Safety and Standards Board

Concerns summary The RSSB Rule Book is flawed as it only permits stopping trains to prevent damage, not to protect individuals in danger from a train.

Matthew Hoare

2015-0203 27 May 2015 London (Inner South)

Concerns summary Ineffective security equipment allowed easy access to the station and tracks after operational hours, with individuals able to climb through widely spaced yellow tape.

Elliott Bignall

Historic (No Identified Response)

2015-0111 23 Mar 2015 West Sussex

Concerns summary The railway foot crossing was poorly lit with inadequate signage, posing a danger to pedestrians who might not see or hear approaching high-speed trains, especially if distracted.

Aaron Plowman

Historic (No Identified Response)

2014-0411 19 Sep 2014 London (Inner South)

Concerns summary Unblocked access points to commercial unit roofs under railway arches allow unauthorized persons to climb from the street, posing a safety risk.

William France

Historic (No Identified Response)

2014-0409 18 Sep 2014 Somerset (West)

Concerns summary Railway crossing barriers malfunctioned due to a single-arm treddle, causing long delays. Drivers also faced obstructed visibility and a poorly located emergency telephone.

Anthony Ponting

2014-0332 8 Jul 2014 Somerset (West)

Emma Lifsey

Historic (No Identified Response)

2014-0204 7 May 2014 Nottinghamshire

Concerns summary Outdated, dim level crossing lights, inadequate research into sun glare, and a dangerously slow pace of upgrading equipment pose a significant ongoing risk to safety.

Malcolm Potter

Historic (No Identified Response)

2014-0082 27 Feb 2014 Cambridgeshire (South & West)

Concerns summary The pedestrian crossing's warning light system is inadequately positioned and not synchronized for multiple trains, creating a significant re-crossing risk on a busy commuter line.

Daniel Maurice McMahon

Partially Responded

2013-0271 21 Nov 2013 London

Department of Health and Social Care Metropolitan Police LAS Legal Services +1 more

Concerns summary Concerns include inadequate police information gathering for railway trespassers, lack of a feedback form for MHA S17 leave, and an outdated railway rule book concerning stopping trains for unwell individuals on tracks.

Action taken summary The London Ambulance Service disputes the concern regarding the use of needle chest decompressions without a valve, stating that a review by their Medical Director concluded their current practice is

Andrew Phrydas

Historic (No Identified Response)

2013-0301 15 Nov 2013 London Inner North

London Underground

Concerns summary London Underground lacked a process for simultaneous dual-line shutdown at intersecting stations and failed to alert the train driver directly and effectively when a person was on the track.

James Herbertson

2021-0078 West Sussex

Concerns summary Inadequate discharge planning from a mental health hospital, including poor communication and unsuitable accommodation, left a vulnerable patient without proper support.

Action taken summary Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has revised its Care Programme Approach policy to mandate a 3-day follow-up post-discharge and requires a signed discharge plan. They have also delivered traini

Samantha Gould and Christine Gould

2021-0184 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Concerns summary Police lacked follow-up with clinicians/parents and failed to inform mentally ill child abuse victims about their option to provide evidence later. There was no guidance for police on communicating with such vulnerable minors.

Action taken summary The NPCC has identified a gap in their national Authorised Professional Practice (APP) and has agreed an immediate addition to the 'Care and Support of Victims and Witnesses' guidance. This new guidan

Croydon Tram Incident

2021-0337 South London

Concerns summary The absence of a centrally funded national tram safety passenger group creates a significant systemic oversight for public safety.

Action taken summary The Department for Transport notes that the LRSSB has published guidance on driver inattention and speed management, and all tram networks in England now subscribe to CIRAS. The DfT is consulting with