With over a million passenger journeys made every day on our network, inevitably sometimes people become ill on our trains. In more serious cases medical attention is needed and we need to bring the train to a standstill to help the customer in need. This sometimes causes delays.
What can go wrong?
- Sometimes the passenger alarm is activated, and trains stop in locations away from stations. This means we have to investigate and then proceed to the next station to arrange help. It is very difficult to arrange help to remote locations
- If we are unable to move an ill customer off a train due to their condition, we wait until help arrives. This means that the service is affected, and help can take a longer time to arrive at some locations.
- In some serious cases, if the customer is very poorly and needs to be treated initially on the train, the train will remain at a standstill whilst the customer receives the medical attention they require.
What we’re doing to help
- The safety of our customers is always a priority so we always try to bring trains to a standstill in stations where it is quicker to get the necessary help or assistance
- We plan our timetable to give us opportunity to minimise delays. We manage the service to divert trains around the impacted area and work to keep trains moving. Sometimes trains will be diverted around the affected area to reduce the impact on the rest of the service