Tube driver was taking personal call when train pulled away with disabled passenger’s boarding ramp still attached
A London Overground driver was found using his mobile phone when exiting a station with a disabled passenger boarding ramp still installed.
The ramp was dragged down the platform, causing a staff member and another passenger to move out of the way, before the ramp hit the end-of-platform barrier and crashed next to the track.
Fortunately, no one was injured in the near-miss, which occurred at around 9.52am at Norwood Junction station in south London on July 1 last year.
But rail accident investigators said the ramp posed a very high risk of injuring people or colliding with platform furniture or rail infrastructure.
The portable ramp was deployed to assist a passenger using a mobility scooter traveling from West Croydon to Highbury & Islington at 9.46am.
But before the passenger could board, the doors closed and the train moved off, with its metal ramp still secured to the side.
The passenger, a Norwood resident who regularly uses trains for work and appointments, later told investigators they now use trains less and experience severe anxiety when traveling.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report revealed that the driver’s personal mobile phone was on during the shift and five calls were made or received while the train was in progress.
A London Overground driver was found using his mobile phone as he exited Norwood Junction station (pictured) with the disabled passenger boarding ramp still installed
The latest call covered the journey from West Croydon and included a stop at Norwood Junction, where the crash occurred.
Investigators said the calls likely distracted the driver because they involved potentially distressing personal issues.
The driver initially told Arriva Rail London that his personal phone had been switched off for the entire shift and that he had put it in his bag.
However, phone records obtained by investigators showed that the device was turned on and used in the morning hours.
The report also found that the wrong type of ramp was being used at Norwood Interchange; This means the doors can still close and the train can receive power while connected.
The station has not had the correct ramp available since September 2021, but checks failed to detect the problem.
The RAIB made six safety recommendations, including better management of portable access ramps and taking precautions against the risks of train drivers using mobile phones.
