More
attention


needs
to
be
paid
to
the
plight
of
passengers
on
stranded
trains,
according
to
the
Office
of
Rail
and
Road.

The
ORR
commissioned
a
report
in
co-operation
with
Transport
Focus
which
examined
what
happened
after
four
trains
had
come
to
a
stand
in
mid-section
in
December
last
year.

The
incidents
chosen
were
at
Ladbroke
Grove
near
London
Paddington,
Corby
Glen
on
the
East
Coast
Main
Line
and
at
Beattock
Summit
and
Bourne
End
Junction,
both
on
the
West
Coast
Main
Line.
Passengers
on
these
trains
were
asked
about
their
experiences.

The
report
concluded
that
although
there
is
useful
guidance,
it
is
not
always
followed.
Some
passengers
said
that
although
there
evidently
were
procedures
for
staff
to
follow,
‘no
one
really
knew
what
they
were’.

The
ORR
and
Transport
Focus
have
emphasised
that
prompt
action
is
needed,
particularly
when
the
batteries
for
lighting,
air
conditioning,
heating
and
toilet
systems
have
become
exhausted.
This
can
lead
to
exasperation
or
even
panic
among
the
stranded
passengers.
One
said:
‘It
was
actually
really
hot
and
…
because
the
power
went
off,
obviously
there
was
no
sort
of
air
flowing
through
the
train
at
all.’

There
is
also
a
need
for
better
assistance
when
passengers
have
been
able
to
resume
their
journeys.
One
reported:
‘I
was
literally
left
in
a
place
in
London
I
don’t
know,
on
my
own
as
a
woman,
and
my
battery
was
almost
dead.
I
was
panicking
about
how
I
was
going
to
get
home.’

Staff
were
often
praised
for
‘carrying
the
day’
and
being
‘really,
really
helpful’
but
the
report
says
more
staff
training
is
needed
so
that
the
safety,
welfare
and
experience
of
passengers
gets
proper
attention.

The
ORR
and
Transport
Focus
are
going
to
bring
together
rail
operators
and
Network
Rail
later
in
2024
to
make
sure
that
improvements
are
made.

The
ORR’s
director
of
strategy,
policy
and
reform
Stephanie
Tobyn
said:
‘Being
stranded
on
a
train
for
a
lengthy
period
of
time
is
thankfully
rare,
but
when
it
does
happen,
rail
operators
and
Network
Rail
need
to
work
together
quickly
to
assess
the
situation
from
a
passenger
perspective
and
create
a
workable
plan
to
safely
manage
the
situation.
This
plan
must
assess
the
conditions
on
the
train,
the
specific
welfare
needs
of
all
passengers
onboard
and
the
previous
experience
of
public
behaviour
during
such
incidents.’