UK: The Department for Transport has published what it says is ‘landmark’ research into the most effective measures to prevent railway suicides.
The research commissioned from the National Centre for Social Research and published on World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10 explores the determinants of rail suicide, the effectiveness of prevention measures, impacts on rail staff and passengers and mitigation strategies to reduce impacts.
It found strong evidence on the effectiveness of physical barriers in preventing rail suicides. Platform screen doors were highly effective in underground stations but had limited applicability for the open rail network, where fencing tracks shows significant promise. The review also found international evidence on the effectiveness of other types of interventions, including media reporting guidelines, security personnel in stations and surveillance systems on tracks and railway bridges. Experimental research suggests AI-powered CCTV systems may be able to identify suicide attempts, and warrant further investigation in real-world settings.
The report highlights evidence to suggest that training programmes increase staff confidence in identifying and intervening in suicide attempts, and trauma support training was highly recommended by rail staff who felt it reduced stress following a distressing event.
‘Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy and this research ensures we are doing everything possible to reduce the risks, support those in need, and protect families from unimaginable loss on our railways’, said Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy. ‘We are committed to working with our partners across the rail industry, health services, and charities to save lives, and as we move towards Great British Railways, we’re putting passengers first and making rail travel safer for everyone.’
Network Rail has partnered with the Samaritans charity for 15 years, and more than 31 000 rail employees and British Transport Police officers have been trained in suicide prevention techniques through Samaritans’ Managing Suicidal Contacts course which helps staff to recognise the signs of someone in distress and offer assistance in critical moments.
‘The number of life-saving interventions on the railway has doubled since the partnership first began in 2010, a powerful demonstration of the impact of our partnership’, said Network Rail’s suicide prevention lead Louise McNally. ‘Our Rail Suicide Prevention Programme helps the entire industry to respond effectively to people in distress, while also providing invaluable support to staff involved in these difficult incidents.’
Dave Brown, head of rail programme at Samaritans, said ‘we know that 67% of people in the UK would appreciate someone checking on them, offering words of support, if they were struggling to cope. As part of our partnership we equip both rail staff and the public with the confidence to approach someone they may think is in distress. By doing this, they could save a life.’
