New government-funded research has identified effective measures to save lives and prevent suicides on the railway, with a focus on improved safety, responsible media reporting, and increased support for people in crisis. The research, published today, aims to help the rail industry prevent and respond to these tragic events.
The report, titled “Understanding suicides on the rail network,” highlights that every life lost to suicide has a devastating impact on families, friends, rail staff, and the wider community. The government is committed to preventing such tragedies and supporting those affected.
Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, said: “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. 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.”
Key Findings and Recommendations
The report’s key findings include:
- Physical Interventions: Increased fencing along tracks is an effective way to reduce access to high-risk areas, preventing both suicide attempts and accidental falls.
- Staff Training: Trauma support training and suicide prevention training were shown to increase staff confidence in identifying and intervening in suicide attempts.
- Responsible Reporting: The research highlights the importance of responsible media reporting to avoid romanticising or sensationalising suicide.
Based on these findings, the government is now requiring all publicly owned train operators to provide regular suicide prevention training to frontline staff.
The rail industry is already working with partners like Samaritans and British Transport Police to address the issue. Their “Small Talk Saves Lives” campaign encourages the public to start a simple conversation with someone who appears to be in distress.
Louise McNally, Suicide and Trespass Prevention Lead at Network Rail, said: “Lives lost on the railway have a ripple effect, with tragedies touching everyone from the family and friends of victims to our colleagues who have to cope with the aftermath. That’s why we work together as an industry to provide training and physical improvements to the railway so we can respond effectively to people in distress. Our partnership campaign with the Samaritans – Small Talk Saves Lives – encourages the public to help us in our efforts by reminding us that a simple conversation can be all it takes to interrupt suicidal thoughts. We can all play a vital role in saving lives and this research will help our efforts to make the railway safer.”
The report’s release coincides with World Suicide Prevention Day, an annual event where Samaritans calls on the public to take action and show they care if they think someone is suicidal.
Dave Brown, Head of Rail Programme at Samaritans, said: “At Samaritans, we welcome research into suicide on the rail as we know firsthand the devastating impact this can have on those working across the network. We fully support the need to train those working in the industry and encourage staff to attend our Managing Suicidal Contacts and Trauma Support training. Across the industry, we must continue to work together to ensure fewer people die by suicide on the railway.”
Ellen O’Donoghue, CEO of James’ Place, a charity that provides support to men in a suicidal crisis, said: “At James’ Place, we provide urgent, timely support to men in a suicidal crisis and welcome these efforts to prevent suicide on the railways. We work with men whose crisis is motivated by life events, such as relationship breakdowns and financial problems and support the implementation of increased training, awareness and support for rail staff who might encounter a person in crisis. Every death by suicide is a tragedy and we know that for each one, around 135 people are impacted. It is vital that every measure is taken to prevent suicide across our railways and these measures will play an important part in saving lives.”
