- key rail industry experts join together to find innovative
approach to tackle suicide on rail network
- Rail Minister pledges to do whatever he can to help tackle
the tragedy of rail suicides
- work bringing together rail industry and suicide prevention
experts follows 2,233 lifesaving interventions made on the
railways in 2019 to 2020
Rail Minister
has pledged to lead the ongoing battle to tackle suicide on
Britain’s railways, during a special virtual event with key
industry experts today (Wednesday 25 November 2020) aimed at
tackling deaths on the network.
Mr Heaton-Harris thanked members of the rail industry, transport
sector and suicide prevention experts – including from the Rail
Delivery Group (RDG),
British Transport Police (BTP), and Rail Safety and
Standards Board (RSSB) – for their work
and dedication in keeping people safe, ahead of a discussion to
examine best practice in how industry can help prevent more
deaths on rail.
As a result of the work being done by the sector, with Network
Rail leading the way, 2,233 lifesaving interventions on the
railways were made between 2019 and 2020, meaning that 6 people
were saved for every one that took their life.
Rail Minister
said:
For the majority of us, it is almost impossible to comprehend
the mental anguish that leads people to attempt to take their
own lives.
We all have a part to play, and I am personally committed to
doing whatever I can to ensure the railway does more to help
those in crisis. Days like today – bringing together the
industry to consider new and innovative approaches – are
crucial to help reach our joint target of achieving a reduction
in suicides nationally.
I am incredibly proud of the exceptional work that has already
been done to prevent suicides on the transport network, helping
result in thousands of life-saving interventions made every
year. Now, we’re challenging ourselves to do more.
Samaritans has so far trained more than 20,000 railway employees
in prevention techniques, while hundreds of rail industry
employees have donated their time to the Million Hour Challenge
to support the charity, whose Small Talk Saves Lives
campaign has been running successfully since 2017.
