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Any suicide is tragic, but the 200 a year that happen on the railways are particularly shocking. The first national strategy in dealing with them hopes to cut the number by a fifth. But can people who want to end their own lives in this way really be helped?

It was morning rush-hour, so the platform was busy and Penny was one of many people waiting for the Edinburgh train.

As the Intercity 125 drew into the station, she jumped in front of it.

"It's strange, but it was as if I went into it," she says, recalling those moments 14 years ago. "It all went black and I remember waking up underneath it.

"It was dark and I thought 'Is this it? Am I dead?' Then I heard a Tannoy and some voices, and I could feel diesel dripping on my face.

"I don't remember anything else, I had passed out and I came round in hospital. But when I did, there was no relief. I thought: 'I can't even do that right.'"

Penny had escaped major injury, apart from five stitches on the back of her head, because she had fallen entirely beneath the train.

Her state of mind that day was divorced from reality, she says. She had a husband she loved, whom she had said goodbye to in the normal way. But work-related stress and the loss of her grandmother had induced her third mental breakdown in 10 years.

"I can see the train coming, clear as day," she says, thinking back to the day she tried to take her life. "But how I got there I don't know. It's almost like I was in a trance.

"I already thought I was dead and I thought I wanted to see my gran. Even talking about it now, I'm thinking it sounds odd."

'No way back'

Unlike other ways that people choose to end their own life, railway suicides endanger and traumatise other people, notably train drivers and railway staff. But to condemn it as "selfish", as some do, annoys Penny, who asked for her real name not to be used.

"They just don't understand. You don't wake up one morning and say: 'Today, I'm going to do that' They are ill. People who choose this method, it's not a cry for help, they've reached the absolute bottom.

"Part of me somewhere thought that it's a sure-fire method. Usually there's no coming back."

For the rail industry, suicides are a commercial headache. Network Rail has to compensate train operating companies for delays and it estimates that suicides cost it ^15m a year in this respect. In partnership with the Samaritans, it has invested ^5m in the country's first national programme in trying to address it.

The money will be spent on a number of measures, including training railway staff in how to spot people on platforms who may be contemplating suicide and how to talk to them.

There will also be guidance to the media about reporting incidents in a way that does not prompt copy-cat attempts. For instance, giving too much information about a victim can lead others to identify with him or her.

"There are about 200 suicides per year on the railways," says Rachel Kirby-Rider of the Samaritans. "But in terms of the cost and emotional impact, it's much higher for suicides on the railways than other forms of suicide, because of the effect on witnesses. All suicides are tragic but some train drivers never go back to work afterwards.

"Many people come across suicides on the railway and get very frustrated because they can't get to their meeting because the train is delayed, but there's a lack of understanding why the person has taken their own life."

More research is needed into why people would choose this method above others, say Ms Kirby-Rider, but the common profile is middle-aged men who are unemployed or struggling financially, she says. And there are more incidents in areas of social deprivation.

She believes that if people thinking about throwing themselves under a train can get to the Samaritans - maybe referred by a vigilant member of rail staff or because a poster on a platform tells them that help is available - then their chances of recovery are greatly increased.

Reducing opportunities for people to take their own life can dissuade them from doing so, she says. Specific measures in prisons and psychiatric services have helped to bring the national suicide rate down, although it increased last year, perhaps due to the economic difficulties.

Limiting the number of aspirins available in a packet to 16, in 1998, led to a fall in fatal overdoses by a fifth in the following year.
 
And according to one study, there was a fall in suicide by car exhaust asphyxiation in all age and gender groups, a trend most marked after 1993, when catalytic converters reduced the toxicity of exhaust fumes. "This shows that measures can be taken," says Ms Kirby-Rider. "What we are planning won't eradicate railway suicides but we are hoping for a 20% reduction in five years."

So why do some people choose to end their life in this way?

Railway suicide is a violent method of choice, especially for younger men, who falsely believe that it is a fast, painless, foolproof way to end one's life, says psychotherapist and counselling psychologist Prof Emmy van Deurzen.

"They often get this wrong idea from media reports or fiction and there is higher incidence of railway suicides after a case has been publicised or fictionalised.

"There is a 10% survival rate of these attempts, which though low, is still considerable, especially since it usually leads to severe and incapacitating injuries."

There is very little research on the motivations and states of mind of those who have not succeeded or those who have contemplated killing themselves in this way, she says.

"The daredevil and violent element of railway suicide may appeal to people who feel desperate about their life, because it conjures up an illusion of control and self assertion.

"Even the idea of having an impact on rail transport and the routines of others may be somewhat appealing and may involve a fantasy of revenge on society.

"Those who have contemplated killing themselves in this way mention awareness of the potential long-term damage to others as a factor in stopping them."

This suggests we need better research, both on people's motivations for choosing this method of suicide and on the reasons for which they ultimately abandon the idea, she says. This would help us providing better support to these people and to prevent more of these catastrophic suicides.
 
Penny's experience shows that people who have hit rock bottom can still fully recover, and she thinks the best way to tackle the problem would be to chip away at the stigma of mental illness, so people would be more likely to seek help.

After being pulled out from under the train, she was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and spent two months in hospital for her mental illness.

She never returned to her old workplace and the birth of her first child three years later was a major step on the road to recovery. This happy, confident woman bears no resemblance to the figure on the railway platform all those years ago.

"Now I've turned my life around and have two great kids and a happy marriage. I'm horrified now, thinking about it, because I loved my husband and my parents."

Rail network suicides 'down 11%'

The number of suicides on Britain's rail network has dropped by 11% in the past year, according to figures from the Rail Safety and Standards Board.

They showed 207 deaths in the year from April 2010, down from 233 in the previous 12 months.

The rail authority said extra training for staff provided by the Samaritans had been a key factor in the reduction.

Last year, Network Rail set a target to reduce the number of suicides by 20% within five years.

"We know that rail staff who have undertaken the Samaritans' training programme have already been able to intervene in potential suicides," said David Higgins, chief executive of Network Rail, who own and operate Britain's rail structure.

"Each suicide is a tragedy for the individuals and families involved, as well as having an inevitable impact on rail staff and passengers."

The ^5m investment in suicide prevention has seen 1,000 staff at 220 locations receive specialist training.

As part of the campaign, Samaritans has interviewed staff members affected by suicides, as well as experts on dealing with trauma.

Rail workers are taught how to identify people potentially at risk, before approaching them and offering emotional support services.

The training also deals with emotional trauma for drivers who have been involved in a death, many of whom suffer from flashbacks and sleeplessness after the incident.

Members of the general public who have witnessed a suicide can also take advantage of help from the Samaritans who offer face-to-face advice and a helpline.

In addition, media companies have been given guidance over how to report suicides in order to prevent copycat deaths.

An awareness campaign has sought to target those typically most prone to suicide attempts.

Nearly 80% of rail suicides involve men, with "working-class men" in their 30s, 40s and 50s statistically most at risk, the Samaritans said.

Prominent advertising and poster campaigns around stations have been aimed at these groups.

"We are pleased to see that, within the first year of delivering the project we already have examples of staff being able to intervene in potentially tragic situations," said Rachel Kirby-Rider, director of fundraising and communications at the Samaritans.

"Whilst the latest railway suicide figures are promising, the next few years could see rising unemployment and an increase in financial worries which may negatively impact on the nation's wellbeing," she said.

"We cannot afford to be complacent and that is why this programme of work shows our commitment to ensuring the figures decline year on year."

The rail industry has launched the Joint Suicide Prevention plan (JSSP), drawn up by Network Rail and approved by the National Suicide Prevention Group in September 2011.

It pulls together best practice across the rail network and demonstrates how everyone has a role to play in suicide prevention. It provides a strategic approach for train operators to engage with the partnership and help the overall National Suicide Reduction project achieve its objectives. The document outlines an action plan for how Network Rail, a train operator and Samaritans can work more efficiently to reduce the number of suicides on the Network Rail routes by setting out a minimum number of requirements to which train operators at the highest level will commit.

The plan forms part of the National Suicide Prevention Programme - a five year project, led jointly by Samaritans and Network Rail.

The primary aim of the programme is to reduce suicides on the railways through a range of interventions including communication campaigns, industry staff training, work with the media, community outreach and lobbying for more physical barriers at railway locations. The programme of work is a blend of prevention and post incident initiatives which are taking place across the UK with an overall aim of reducing the number of railway suicides annually by 20% by 2015.

The overall programme has recently scooped a number of awards.
In late September, the joint venture won in the 'Corporate Partnership' category at the Third Sector Excellence Awards. Following this, the Samaritans collaboration with Network Rail was recognised by the transport industry as winners in the 'Best National Partnership' category at the National Transport Awards and then on the 12 October 2011, the partnership received the corporate national partnership of the year award at the Charity Times Awards.

The partnership features a programme of prevention and post-incident activities. This includes:

-Bespoke training of railway industry staff and British Transport Police to identify individuals in distress at railway locations.
-Trauma support training tailored specifically to the needs of those supporting train drivers or others following a suicide, such as Train Driver Managers and ASLEF Union Reps.
-Support to rail staff, train crews and members of the public who have witnessed a fatality.
-The development of a local branch call-out service to provide face to face emotional support to people in distress at railway sites.

For more information or if you would like to receive an electronic copy of the template JSSP please contact Ola Rzepczynska, Network Rail Project Officer: o.rzepczynska@samaritans.org

I was led to the article on the RSSB website by an item in RAIL issue 686.

Their regular feature, "A day in the life of..." was an interview with an East Midlands Trains driver who had experienced a fatality when someone committed suicide in front of his train.

Following counselling he got involved with the Samaritans and Network Rail's Joint Suicide Prevention Plan.

Sobering reading.  :(

Railway staff in Bath are working with the Samaritans to reduce the number of suicides on the tracks.

Across the country more than 1,000 rail staff have received training on how to identify people who are intending to commit suicide.

The training programme, run by the Samaritans and Network Rail, aims to make staff aware and to reduce railway suicides by 20 per cent over five years.

It also aims to support drivers after a trauma and offer counselling to people intending to commit suicide.

Members of the Bath branch of the charity will be at the station on Wednesday and Saturday for Mental Health Awareness Week.

Network Rail chief executive David Higgins said: "We know that rail staff who have undertaken Samaritans' training programme have already been able to intervene in potential suicides. Each suicide is a tragedy for the individuals and families involved, as well as having an inevitable impact on rail staff and passengers. It is encouraging that the rail industry is pulling together to work with Samaritans who have provided a responsive and professional service to our staff."

The five-year training programme includes helping staff to encourage people away from danger, supporting drivers after a trauma, and looking after witnesses.

^5million from NR according to this: http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/news/976000/Samaritans-forges-5m-link-Network-Rail-prevent-railway-suicides/

Samaritans train rail staff in lifesaving skills

The BBC has been given exclusive access to a course where the Samaritans are training rail staff to help save lives.

More than 230 people took their own life on Britain's railways last year - the highest number for 10 years.

The BBC's transport correspondent Richard Westcott reports.

Train stations set for changes in drive to cut rail suicides

Measures being introduced or considered include extra fencing between platforms, 'trespass bollards' and closer monitoring

Train passengers are about to see the biggest changes in station design for years, and will have their behaviour monitored more closely, as part of a drive to cut suicides on the railways, which last year numbered 238.

Extra fencing, removal of seats from the ends of platforms, more no-go areas painted with yellow cross-hatching, and "trespass bollards" where the interruption of infrared beams sets off alarms will be among the most visible alterations.

Less obvious may be the use of smart cameras programmed to identify unusual behaviour, already being trialled at one busy station, and sensor lighting for dark areas. Network Rail is also considering whether tracking people's movements via mobile phone signals would help to alert control rooms to potential incidents.

Nearly 5,000 rail staff have been on courses developed by the Samaritans to help them identify and approach potentially suicidal people. The charity also provides trauma support for train and railway workers.

The introduction of fencing to separate platforms for fast through trains from those for stopping services has started, with stations between Reading and London Paddington and Milton Keynes and Euston the first affected.

Other moves designed to provide psychological disincentives are on the way, as are station watch schemes along on the lines of neighbourhood watch anti-crime groups.

Posters advertising the Samaritans and dedicated telephones at stations have already been introduced. The removal of 700 level crossings over the past three years has helped cut easy access to tracks. For the first time, railways are recording suicide attempts that staff action or other interventions have prevented. There are thought to have been at least 50 in the past year.

Network Rail says the partnership ^ also involving British Transport police, train operating companies, and rail safety advisers ^ has helped keep annual suicide numbers static at 238 in each of the past two years. Disruption to train services, which costs about ^33m a year according to Network Rail, has fallen by nearly a quarter in 12 months, and total delays due to suicide attempts have fallen from more than 6,500 hours to under 5,000.

Training police officers who respond to fatal incidents to undertake initial crime scene tasks has helped cut the time for dealing with unexplained deaths on the railways by a third, to 84 minutes, a process helped by dedicated phone lines from train cabs allowing drivers to give initial descriptions of incidents.

Neil Henry, Network Rail's head of performance and operations, said: "From a purely economic point of view, there is a very strong business case which we don't deny. But there is certainly, too, a moral obligation, we feel, to do everything we can."

Trials of new measures were encouraging, he said. "You programme cameras, for example, to focus on somebody who has been in the same location for a long time, has been on a station for a long time, perhaps has been there when a train has come in and not got on ^ It will then alert people that have you have got somebody here that is acting out of the ordinary," said Henry.

The fencing along the middle of platforms was "not necessarily that difficult to get over but it is a barrier that may just change people's minds. There is evidence to suggest it does."

Henry said although the partnerships with the Samaritans had been in place for nearly three years, an industry conference on the issue in June had proved a turning point. "There was this noise going round that actually there is not much we can do, other than to restore the railways to normal working as quickly as possible. To prevent someone who is intent on taking their own life is too difficult. It was quite important to say some [suicide attempts] are preventable, we can really make a difference here."

Railways in other countries, including Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia and Canada, are looking at the UK's progress. Rail suicides make up less than 4% of the UK total: there were 6,045 suicides in all in the UK in 2011, the highest total since 2004.

Police crime scene examiners normally attend unexplained or suspicious deaths, but 55 response officers in more remote areas have been equipped with forensic suits, cameras, swab kits and sterile evidence bags and have been trained to carry out body recovery and initial investigations. Coroners have been encouraged to standardise their procedures. "We ensure the respect due to the deceased but minimise disruption to the wider railway network", said chief inspector Tom Naughton, the officer leading the strategy.

Initial interviews with drivers were not "overly oppressive" or formal, he said, but together with other information gained from the scene, including an initial search of the body, could speed up investigations that were reviewed carefully later.

A pilot scheme in London is bringing in health professionals to police custody suites to assess those in mental distress, said Naughton. "If someone is on the railway and they are obviously trespassing, putting themselves in danger, our priority is to get them into a place of safety. We don't want people criminalised if they are in need of medical aid."

Rachel Kirby-Rider, executive director of fundraising and communications at Samaritans, called the developments "an outstanding example of co-operation between industry and the charity sector". The charity's research indicates that men in their 30-50s from disadvantaged backgrounds are at highest risk of dying by suicide, including on railways, and it is working with journalists to reduce "copycat" suicides though more responsible reporting.

"We are doing everything we can to let people know that anyone can call Samaritans at any time," she said. The Samaritans' 24-hour helpline is 08457 909090.

Anything which reduces the number of fatalities on the railway is to be welcomed.

However the majority of incidents reported on here seem to be on stretches of line away from stations and I fear the trend for that will increase if stations are looked at as the article suggests.

I am not saying that is a case for not doing the work, but as it is not possible to make the railway secure from end to end people who are so desperate to end it all will sadly find another part of the railway to go to.

I'm sure the suicidal are really going to avoid cross-hatched areas.....waste of money.

I understand that NR is meant to be responsible for the track and signalling but why do they get punished as a result of these most distressing episodes. It just seems warped.

But I also noticed that Network Rail gets fined for the delays caused by each incident which seems beyond the pail so there is another side to this coin. I agree that in some cases a suicide might be prevented by better fencing and the like but you can't keep people out of stations; and you can see from other threads on this site what can happen on crossings where people are meant to be on the railway, albeit for a short time.

Not quite 100% - TOCs pay the delay penalties if a fatality happens at a station. That's why we are now seeing little used main platforms fenced off during the day and security staff on the up main platform at Ealing Broadway.

...the decision is made long before someone sees those posters.     

After the fatality in S.Wales this week, I was thinking about why a particular section of railway in S.Wales seems to suffer so much and have some thoeries as to why it seems to be a fatality hotspot, but will save these for a private forum as I would not like to give anyone who was half considering something any ideas...

Ultimately a lot of the suicides can probably be dealt with long before they become suicides if the general attitude towards mental health issues in this country changes and there is less taboo surrounding the problems that do affect us all to some degree at some point in our lives. Some people cope better than others, and those who suffer most should have easy access to proper help. Ideally, it should feel no worse going to your healthcare provider with a mental health problem than it does if you have a chest infection or something.

The trespasser deaths (and many level crossing accidents) are caused primarly by ignorance and I'm not sure you can do an awful lot about that!

Money no object - platform doors like the new tube platforms. May need extra doors/sensors if different stock=different lengths=different door placements, but as I said, this is money no object.

Just about the only guaranteed way to prevent suicides from stations.

But most would simply find an access elsewhere, so I'm not sure there is a physical solution.

Sharp rise in railway suicides, say Network Rail

The number of people who have committed suicide on Britain's railways in the last year has almost reached 300, Network Rail and the Samaritans have warned.

Official figures for 2013-14 how there have already been 279 suicides on the UK's rail network - the highest number on record and up from 246 in the previous year.

Most recently, "loving mother" Rubina Khan 46, died with her son, 10-year-old Amaar, at Slough train station in an apparent murder-suicide.

Rubina had been recently widowed and was believed to have been battling depression when they were hit by an oncoming train. Both died at the scene.

The tragic figures come as British Transport Police and Samaritan volunteers hold a one day conference on suicide prevention.

The Samaritans said railway suicides made up 4.7% of the total number of people who took their own their lives in 2012. However, the charity said the number of railway suicides had risen this year.

The rail Safety and Standards Board revealed there were 29 suspected suicides in August and 28 during July. The monthly average over the past year has been 23.

Network Rail are investing in soothing blue lights at train platforms as a way of keeping customers calm. It is hoped their soothing affect will help stop suicide attempts.

The Samaritans believes that financial pressures caused by the years of economic downturn may also have contributed.

"We have been coming out of a very big recession and the impact of the economic climate is very much being felt," said Ola Rzepczynska, who has been heading a joint suicide prevention plan between the Samaritans and Network Rail.

"The real impacts are being felt in the most recent years," she said.

There was an interesting article in The Times (21/10/14?) saying that blue lighting is being trialled at some stations following some success in Japan, albeit on dubious statistical evidence.

Preventing suicide at railway stations

Suicide at railway stations is not an uncommon tragedy, but now, the UK^s Network Rail, together with charities and other support programmes, are testing new technologies at busy train stations in order to avert tragedy before it happens.

Suicide on the tracks is a tragic issue faced by railway operators world over, with some bustling train stations even becoming known as "suicide spots". According to a study on the socio-environmental determinants of railway suicide, published in BMC Public Health journal, over half of all rail-related fatalities are suicides. Moreover, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that over the last 45 years, suicide rates have increased by 60% worldwide, and it is predicted that by 2020, the rate of death will increase to one every 20 seconds.

Figures from the European Railways Association (ERA) show that the number of suicides across the EU network also increased in parallel with the rising number of overall passenger journeys: between 2008 and 2011, suicides saw an 18% increase from 2,422 to 2,868 every year.

But despite the increase, WHO points out that in terms of policy, only 28 countries are known to have national suicide prevention strategies put in place. According to their 'Preventing suicide' report published last year, suicide deterrence should be "a multi-sectoral priority" - and the rail industry is a key player in this nation-wide effort to further avert suicides.

For instance, UK's rail network has consistently had one of the highest suicide rates in Europe, data from ERA reveals. Apart from the loss of life and trauma experienced by train drivers, railway staff, passengers and witnesses, the heavy disruption to services costs the rail industry around ^50m every year, according to Network Rail. The cost - approximately 400,000 minutes of delays were attributed to suicides only in 2013/14 - further stresses the severity of the problem and puts railway operators under the spotlight to react accordingly.

To date, "restricting access to the means of suicide" is the most common technique used by authorities and operators. The study quoted above highlights that, following years of research, "reducing accessibility to train lines through installation of physical barriers is the only suicide prevention strategy that has been followed by a decrease in railway suicide". In 2002, the installation of platform screen doors at Hong Kong stations saw suicide figures drop by almost 60%.

Nevertheless, this method might prove too expensive in some cases and simply ineffective outside of stations and across networks that cover large areas. As a result, different means of prevention are needed.

A good example of a dedicated suicide prevention campaign comes from the five-year partnership between UK railway authority Network Rail and independent charity Samaritans.

The 'Tackling Suicide on the Railways' programme initially launched in January 2010 with the aim to reduce railway suicides by 20% by 2015. The programme has since grown and now also involves train operators, freight operators and the British Transport Police. The campaign tackles the complex issues surrounding suicide through specialist training courses for staff, a wide-reaching public awareness campaign, targeted research and a host of infrastructure updates and alternations to the station environment.
The two-fold training course prepares personnel to both approach and manage a suicidal person on the platform and successfully deal with the emotional aftermath of witnessing a suicide, through a dedicated Trauma Support Training module.

The course is designed to equip railways staff with the "skills, confidence and knowledge to identify and approach people exhibiting suicidal behaviour."

"We are at the point of having trained nearly 10,000 rail industry staff, including frontline staff on this course, which is a huge achievement," says Samaritans strategic partnership manager Ola Rzepczynska. "Since people started attending this course, we have had over 150 interventions reported to us."

Furthermore, a range of infrastructural changes implemented at train stations include removing benches from all fast line platforms, installing fences at platform ends, upping the number of anti-trespass guards, lighting up dark platforms and introducing smart motion-detection cameras to alert of unusual movements both in stations and at level crossings.

On most platforms in the UK, passengers can also spot any of the three 'We're in your corner' posters, designed to encourage people to seek help and directly contact the Samaritans for support. An extension of the 'Men on the ropes' campaign from 2010, the new posters were carefully designed to appeal to the most susceptive group of people, namely "men in their 30s, 40s and 50s from lower socio-economic backgrounds", who have been found to be at the highest risk of suicide.

A three-year-long review into the programme, undertaken by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), tried to gage the results and achievements of the campaign, praised as "one of the most progressive and ambitious programmes in Europe".

But it's not all good news: a research brief published in February 2014 revealed that while the programme improved the industry's knowledge and understanding of suicide, it has not yet managed to reduce the number of suicides.

"The rail statistics come out on an annual basis, and what we've seen over the past few years is that they are very much in line unfortunately with a rising overall national suicide rates. So as a percentage of that, railway suicide has remained relatively static, roughly at about 4% of national suicides," Rzepczynska says.

The review does, however, recognise a reduced response time to suicides, better co-ordination of services and a small reduction in delays. The training, which now includes over 1,500 managerial staff, also managed to raise the quality of interventions and increased the likelihood of intervention in the future.

But Network Rail's efforts stretch beyond this campaign. Last year, a series of trials were announced to equip selected stations with blue lights, a recently discovered and under-researched technique present at only a few train stations around the world.

Blue LED lights previously installed at stations, bus stops, airports and various high danger zones around cities have been reported to induce a calming effect on people in the area, which helps to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and suicide attempts.

"A part of the program is continuously looking for innovations and different ways in which we can prevent suicide and blue lights has been one of the areas that we've been piloting, along with a number of other measures such as mobile CCTV, cameras and sensors," Rzepczynska says. "It's something that Network Rail have considered and implemented in a few locations."

Minimise Energy, a company specialising in the production of blue LED floodlights for public spaces, describe the effect in a press release: "Research has shown that blue light can induce calm, and as a colour often associated with authority, particularly the police, blue light in public places is different enough from the norm to encourage people to rethink before committing unwanted behaviour."

The company distributed their blue lights to Network Rail and have been following the trials intently. According to head of UK sales at Minimise Energy Sam Stageman, "the initial trial has given satisfactory results to promote further opportunities so I think it is very client-dependent on how far they want to roll it out to a major premise or areas of particular concern. Following the success of that, further product is being provided for additional stations."

The technology has also been used outside of the UK. A Japanese study evaluating the effect of blue lights on the number of suicides at 71 train stations between 2000 and 2010 found "an 84% reduction of railway suicides that could be attributable to the introduction of blue lights at the edges of stations".

One of these stations is Shin-Koiwa in Tokyo, a recognised suicide spot, where part of their ceiling is covered with blue plastic film. But there isn't universal support for altered lighting: changing the tint of the light through plastic film is not only ineffective, but also dangerous, according to Dave Grant-Stechyshyn, technical manager for Minimise Energy.

"If you put a blue film over a white light you'll find that actually will degrade the light level hugely," he says. "On a train station platform, where light levels are extremely important for safety, it's just completely not acceptable. So we've had to design a product that had a blue LED that emitted physical blue light rather than just a blue film over white light."

Even though the present programmes and technologies are a significant step forward in alleviating the problem, more research, trials and data collection are needed to successfully reduce the number of incidents on an ever-expanding railway network. Experimental techniques currently under development can be seen in Japan, where the most problematic stations are equipped with fitted screens broadcasting soothing pictures, a public panic button in the case of an attempted suicide and the distribution of readily-available leaflets with suicide hotline contact details.

In the UK, a new referral scheme involving the Samaritans and BTP is currently being piloted in the North London area.

"What we encourage the BTP to do is, if they come in contact with an individual who is potentially vulnerable on the railway network, they can offer the individual a referral to Samaritans. With their consent, we can call the individual and have a confidential conversation," Rzepczynska explains.

If successful, the scheme is expected to be rolled out nationally in the future, as the partnership between the charity and Network Rail has recently been extended for five more years.

While railway operators around the world recognise their responsibility in preventing suicide on their networks, it is important to remember that, as WHO points out, suicide results from "many complex socio-cultural factors" and "the health sector but also education, employment, social welfare, the judiciary and others" should all become involved in its prevention in order for significant progress to be achieved.

Rail industry tackles high suicide rates on network

Last year 293 people in the UK tried to take their own lives on the railway network.

The rail industry is now working with the Samaritans charity on a new campaign to work on suicide prevention.

The BBC's John Maguire reports.

Commuters urged to help stop suicides through small talk

Commuters are being urged to step in if they see vulnerable people near railway tracks, as part of a campaign to prevent suicide.

Network Rail, British Transport Police (BTP) and Samaritans hope the "Small Talk Saves Lives" campaign will give travellers the confidence to intervene.

BTP Chief Constable Paul Crowther said engaging someone in conversation could "make all the difference".

In 2016/17, 273 people died in suicide incidents on the UK's railways.

Ian Stevens from Network Rail, who manages the industry's suicide prevention programme, said: "Given that nearly five million journeys are made by train every day, we are asking for passengers to work alongside our staff as the eyes and ears of the railway, helping us to keep everybody safe."

A survey of 5,000 people carried out by the campaign group showed 83% of passengers would approach someone who may be suicidal if they knew the signs, what to say and if they knew they would not make the situation worse.

The campaign highlights warning signs, including:
- A person standing alone and isolated
- A person looking distant or withdrawn
- Someone staying on the platform a long time without boarding a train
- Someone displaying something out of the ordinary in their behaviour or appearance.

And when it comes to what to say, the Samaritans said something as simple as a question could break the pattern of suicidal thoughts.

Examples which have saved lives include "It's a warm evening, isn't it?" and "Do you need some help?". Asking someone what their name is or introducing yourself can also get the conversation started.

After asking the initial question, many people said they felt confident to offer reassurance and support those by listening, it added.

Sarah Wilson planned to take her life on the railway, but did not go through with it after someone spoke to her. "Someone showing that they cared about me helped to interrupt my suicidal thoughts and that gave them time to subside," she said. "The more that people understand that suicide is preventable, the better. You won't make things worse, and you could save a life."

While the group was keen to emphasise there was no single sign or combination of behaviours that meant a person was suicidal, it said: "If something doesn't feel right, the message is to act."

If a person does not feel comfortable to talk to someone at risk, the group recommends alerting a member of staff or calling the police.

The Samaritans have trained 16,000 rail staff and BTP officers in suicide prevention and, as a result, for each life lost on the railway, six are saved.

"Suicide is everybody's business and any one of us could have an opportunity to save a life," said Ruth Sutherland, chief executive of the Samaritans. "We hope that Small Talk Saves Lives is the start of a much wider conversation about how suicide is preventable."

The problem with this is if you ultimately fail, and continue with their act. I can't imagine how one might feel that you failed....and you won't necessarily know until everything concludes (badly)

I think this advice ought to carry a health warning personally

Which is not what you need when helping with that sort of incident. One-on-One often works, a crowd usually fails.

Did you know a little small talk can be all it takes to interrupt someone’s suicidal thoughts?

We’ve launched Small Talk Saves Lives with Network Rail, British Transport Police and the wider rail industry to give people the confidence to help prevent suicide on the railways and beyond.

It’s built on a simple ask: that if you think somebody might need help, trust your instincts and strike up a conversation.

Some years ago there was a suggestion that blue lighting was helpful ............

It should be Baker-Miller pink. (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/pink-colour-feminine-calming-gender-stereotypes-a8577121.html)

Some years ago there was a suggestion that blue lighting was helpful in reducing suicides, It was suggested that the general illumination had to be blue, a single blue light being considered ineffective.

Has this been tried, and did it work ?

The one on the end of Tilehurst’s down main platform is still there.

It does seem to be more a problem on the GWML than say, LNR or WCML where fewer seem to happen. I wonder whether any academic study has been done on this?

It does seem to be more a problem on the GWML than say, LNR or WCML where fewer seem to happen. I wonder whether any academic study has been done on this?

This morning, as we boarded the connecting train to Manchester, I saw that our train to Bristol had been cancelled. After making hurried adjustments to our itinerary using RTT, I found that cancellation was also caused by a person hit by train.

"Person hit by a train" does not mean it was a suicide, trespassers are often the case of a person struck by a train, occasionally trackworkers get struck by a train