People on Trains and in Stations Risk Group
“Having taken over as Chair of the group late 2021, it is my vision that we work collaboratively with our partners across the industry to drive down the risks involved in station operations, on board trains, and at the platform-train interface. In a post-pandemic world, it is more important than ever that we manage this risk profile efficiently and with cooperation on behalf of our customers, stakeholders and industry colleagues.
By gaining a deep understanding of our risks and the challenges operators face, we will build our roadmap together and then deliver against it. We will work with commitment and energy to deliver brilliant basics in the context of upcoming industry change. With this same attitude, we’ll seek to realise the ambition as laid out in Leading Health and Safety on Britain’s Railway under ‘Station Operations’, acting to reduce risk and increase our collective maturity in this area.”
Scope
PTSRG’s scope comprises risk to passengers, members of the public and the workforce at stations, on platforms and on board trains. This includes:
- slips, trips and falls
- platform-train interface when boarding and alighting
- platform-train interface when not boarding and alighting
- on-board injuries
- contact with objects in stations
- assault, abuse and anti-social behaviour (supporting the work of the Work-Related Violence Strategic Group)
- other injuries (such as contact with animals/insects or hazardous substances).
PTSRG’s scope incorporates staff competence and capabilities, stations procedures and station design. Injuries from train accidents, trespass and suicide are excluded, as are those at level crossings and route crime incidents.
Read our remit.
The progress we’re making
We’re addressing platform-train interface risk
We want to make the platform-train interface (PTI) safer. So we’re:
- building the framework for an effective PTI strategy. It will align with current industry standards and post-pandemic shifts in customer behaviour.
- continuing to canvas the adoption of the PTI Risk Assessment Tool. The tool was relaunched in 2023 with enhanced features and functionality.
We’re tackling RIFT risk
We are engaging with customers and train operating companies to address the risks associated with retrieval of items from the track (RIFT). Our insights will enable us to establish preventative measures and empower staff to make positive interventions.
We’re updating bowties
We are reviewing and updating our passenger operations bowties to ensure they remain relevant. Once published, you’ll be able to access them in our Bowtie Server Library.
Last updated: 07/03/2024. Read our latest stations operations report for more on how we are improving safety in this area.
Subgroups
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On-board Trains Working GroupThe On-board Trains Working Group (OBT-WG) is a cross-industry group aligned to Section 3 (Station Operations) of the Leading Health and Safety on Britain’s Railway (LHSBR) strategy, and exists to monitor trends and facilitate collaborative activities around safety risks on board trains across the GB railway.
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Platform Train Interface Working GroupThe Platform Train Interface Working Group is establishing a better understanding of PTI accident risk, bringing together good practice, commissioning research, and working with other groups to manage this area of risk.
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Stations Working GroupThe Stations Working Group (S-WG) is a specialist cross-industry group that exists to monitor trends and facilitate collaborative activities around safety risks at stations across the GB railway.
Membership
The group’s membership is made up of the following industry categories:
- British Transport Police
- independent
- infrastructure managers and owners
- passenger train operators
- Office of Rail and Road (observer)
- rolling stock owners and leasing companies
- RSSB
- trade unions.
Chair of committee: Jenny Saunders, Govia Thameslink Railway
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Committee members
Name Company Representing Status Abigail Patterson Network Rail Infrastructure Ltrd Infrastructure Managers Member Alasdair Forsyth First Greater Western Limited Passenger Train Operators S-WG Chair Alex Mason RAIB RAIB Member Alexander Patton RSSB RSSB Member Alison Smith Great British Rail Transition Team Great British Rail Transition Team Member Ben Doran ScotRail Passenger Train Operators Member Catriona Baker Transport for London Passenger Train Operators Member Chris Light Cross Country Trains Passenger Train Operators Member Emma Coogan West Midlands Trains Limited Passenger Train Operators Member Jemma Widdows RSSB RSSB Meeting Manager Jenny Saunders Govia Thameslink Railway Chair Chair Jason Manley Network Rail Infrastructure Ltrd Infrastructure Managers Member Luke Burgess South West Railway Passenger Train Operators Member Matthew Farrell Office of Rail and Road Regulator Member Matthew Stacey East Midlands Railway Passenger Train Operators Member Nick Swift Eversholt Rail Passenger Train Operators Member Phil Barrett Rail Partners Industry Groups Member Priya Shah RSSB RSSB Member Ross Balcombe South Eastern Trains Passenger Train Operators Member Stuart Browning c2c Rail Passenger Train Operators Member Tony Ellis RSSB RSSB Member
