CCTV captures terrifyingly close calls between commuters and trains
Dramatic new video has revealed how frequently Sydney commuters are tripping on platforms, with many falling onto the tracks.
CCTV footage from Sydney Trains has captured the moments when passengers forget to watch where they’re walking.
Thousands fell last year, resulting in hundreds of injuries, with the elderly and children most at risk.
Susannah Le Bron, from Sydney Trains’ customer service division, said “distraction” is mostly to blame.
“People are on their phones, they’re rushed, they’re not paying attention to the environment that they’re in and they lose their bearings,” she said.
Some falls, though, are more difficult to explain.
Cameras tracked one young man hanging out with his friends at Central Station and followed him to Normanhurst.
After getting off, he decides to walk alongside the train as it departs, suddenly falling between the gap as the train gathers speed.
Incredibly, he walks away without injury.
“We have over 10,000 cameras that are focused on our stations, we also have staff that are out and about, we have a process in place to immediately alert the driver and guard,” Ms Le Bron said.
Additionally, safety announcements are repeatedly made at stations, but inattention still claims new victims every day.
Thankfully none of these incidents were fatal and only a handful required an ambulance and hospitalisation.
Every month there are 33 million journeys on Sydney trains, and each year around 1800 people trip and fall on platforms and in stations.
Amongst those, around 250 are children. In all, 317 fell into the gap between the train and the platform last year.
“Yes, we have a million people on the trains every day, but one a day falling between the gaps is not good enough,” NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance said.
There are simple steps to stay safe – hold children’s hands when walking, and be aware of the yellow line.
The new Metro trains will have glass barriers, preventing falls.
