Person caught in train doors pulled along platform

An investigation has been launched after a passenger’s hand became trapped in the closing doors of an Elizabeth line train as it was leaving London’s Ealing Broadway station.

The incident on 24 November saw the passenger having to run alongside the train before they were freed by a member of staff who was working on the platform.

The driver was alerted to what was happening by other rail users, and the train stopped after moving approximately 17m (56 ft). The passenger reportedly suffered minor injuries.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said it would look into what happened. Transport for London (TfL) said it was sorry the customer “experienced this distressing incident”.

Among the issues the RAIB said it would consider are the actions of those involved and the arrangements in place to manage and control the risks associated with passengers getting on and off Elizabeth line trains.

A TfL spokesperson said the operator of the service, MTR-Elizabeth line, is currently carrying out a thorough investigation into the incident which happened just after midnight.

The spokesperson said: “We will always strive to learn from incidents and improve operational safety.

“MTR-Elizabeth line is fully co-operating with the RAIB to establish the root cause of this incident to determine what steps they can take to avoid any further events of this nature and to share learnings with the industry.

“While serious injuries on our network are rare, we are undertaking a huge range of work aimed eradicating such incidents and making travelling even safer for everyone.”

In June 2023 the RAIB investigated after two people were dragged along London Underground platforms by trains when their coats got stuck in the train doors.

The incidents happened at Archway and Chalk Farm stations on the Northern line.

The passenger at Archway was seriously injured after being dragged along the platform for about 2m (6.5ft) when their coat became trapped in the doors of a northbound Northern line train.

In its report into the incidents the RAIB recommended that London Underground should look at reducing the risk of a passenger becoming trapped and dragged along by a departing train.

This could include technology that can detect when thin objects, such as fingers, straps or clothing, become trapped in train doors and when something is being dragged along by the departing train.

It said Tube bosses should consider modifying door seals to make it easier for small, trapped objects, such as clothing and straps to be pulled free from closed doors.

The board also said London Underground should review the current minimum automatic train dwell times to determine if passengers have sufficient time to safely get on or off trains.

TfL told BBC London it is taking action to drive improvements to reduce risk in this area, including infrastructure changes, technology improvements, and more training for station colleagues and train operators.

It added it is also developing plans to trial technology to help reduce risks and it is talking to other metros and rail operators in the UK and worldwide to share how they manage risks.

Concerns have previously been raised about passenger safety on the Elizabeth line at Ealing Broadway due to the gap between the platform and the train.

In July the mayor of London apologised to several Elizabeth line passengers who were seriously injured using trains at the station and said work was being done to make sure the high gap would be fixed.

Three passengers told BBC London they had been hurt using the service at Ealing Broadway station because the gap between the platform and trains is too big.

Sadiq Khan said he was “shocked” to see reports on BBC London of those injured, adding: “I’m really sorry. You should not be injured going about your daily business.”

At the time TfL and Network Rail both said they were “sorry” some passengers had sustained injuries and safety was their “priority”.

The £18.8bn Elizabeth line opened in May 2022 and links Reading and Essex via central London.