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Sonning Cutting   18/10/2017 at 17:47

The article did not say whether the Rail Unions were involved in the consultation. I think this is important as RMT in particular has so much to say about safety.

Andrew Gwilt   19/10/2017 at 01:18

Why not install step free ramps on the platforms at most stations so that disabled passengers can get on the train and off the train without having to rely on using ramps when asking for staff to let those disabled passengers off the train onto the platforms.

David   19/10/2017 at 12:54

That's very difficult to achieve when different types of train stop at the same platform Andrew.

Mark Hare   20/10/2017 at 15:22

Great idea Andrew - provide another trip hazard on all station platforms. That should lead to a big increase in platform-train interface incidents!

AJG89   21/10/2017 at 12:05

Mark your clearly a moron so go die in a hole. Stupid troll.

Jerry Alderson   22/10/2017 at 20:51

"RMT in particular has so much to say about safety" - that remark may made a few chuckle. There's a a lot said about the doors - because it relates to staff, frankly - but very little about anything else. Station design should aim for use of stairs should be minimised. I suggest that far more injuries are caused by stair usage than by drivers controlling doors. The new £20M Northampton station is a joke when it comes to stairs. London-bound trains stop on a platform at ground level. Because of fears of revenue loss (such a serious fear that they leave the barriers open much of the time!!!) passengers are forced to go up stairs, along a walkway, through (often pen) barriers, then down stairs to the ground and end up practically where they started. Crazy - both in terms of time taken and risk - just so that they only need one set of barriers and one set of staff. Why doesn't the ORR get involved in that kind of nonsense rather than make Network Rail spend hundreds of millions of pounds raising bridges so that the wires will be higher than necessary to meet a non-applicable safety standard, given that no-one has ever been electrocuted at a station because of the current 'dangerous' standard.

Mark Hare   23/10/2017 at 11:02

Very good Andrew, very intelligent and insightful. Well done. There is nothing wrong with the current system of portable ramps for disabled passengers, as long as everyone does their job properly. This includes the passengers, who are required to inform staff where they are disembarking to enable assistance to be provided, as well as the driver and/or guard on the train to be informed also.

Jim   23/10/2017 at 18:55

Andrew - your comments have now reached the stage of telling people to go and ‘die in a hole’ What a delightful individual you really are.

Andrew Gwilt   25/10/2017 at 03:38

Clear off Jim.

Steve   29/10/2017 at 12:10

Amazed at level of sarcasm and hostility here - worse than on twitter. And this discussion is about railway safety. Andrew, LU has adopted the raised platform approach with dedicated locations. They have advantage of the same type of trains and the same stopping points. They won't work at curved platforms though - like Clapham Junction because the horizontal gap is too big. Mark, the ramps are sloped at the sides as well, but you are right that people can stumble if you are looking at phone, etc and don't notice slope. But it is not a trip hazard as a step or raised edge would be. Jerry, absolutely right about stairs. Where people have luggage, push chairs, etc, stairs (and escalators) are a nightmare. You also need to have lifts installed. Haven't been to the station but will look out for it. Mark the ramps are a great, cost effective way of providing access for people who are mobility impaired. But they do rely on station staff / guards, who the rail industry is desperately trying to cut. So, watch this space.