Intoxicated person plan needed on Tube - coroner

Sarah Cunningham was hit by a Northern line train in November

Transport for London (TfL) has been urged to deliver a "concrete plan" to prevent intoxicated passengers being killed on its network following the accidental death of an artist in a Tube tunnel after a night out in London.

Sarah Cunningham, 31, was hit by a Northern line train after stepping on to the track and walking down a tunnel at Chalk Farm station in north London at about 03:30 GMT on 2 November.

Issuing a prevention of future deaths report, senior coroner for Inner North London Mary Hassell said "the risk to the [intoxicated] individual is not necessarily at the forefront of TfL corporate thinking".

TfL says "it will take the time to properly consider any recommendations made".

'No concrete plan'

Ms Cunningham, who had used cocaine and ketamine before her death, was not suicidal, a coroner at Poplar Coroner's Court ruled.

After five minutes in the entrance hall, a member of the public let her through the barriers which had been left unstaffed because one worker was on a break while another took an urgent phone call and was not monitoring the CCTV, the inquest heard.

A member of staff later checked the platform Ms Cunningham had been on and assumed she had boarded a train - but she had walked along the tracks into a tunnel where she was hit by the northbound train 18 minutes later.

Her body was found two days later about 245ft (75m) into the tunnel.

The coroner wrote: "Realistically, some London Underground passengers will be intoxicated, and that has to inform TfL's corporate planning.

"I heard that there was a TfL investigation following Sarah Cunningham's death, but the learning from that appears at present to be somewhat aspirational, without a concrete plan."

Sarah Cunningham was killed in a tunnel near Chalk Farm station

Ms Cunningham's family say there were "multiple chances" for people to intervene.

Lawyers from Leigh Day, instructed by the family, say they are "concerned that Transport for London does not appear to have committed to any actions to reduce the risks of this happening again in future".

They added the family "hopes that TfL use it as a real opportunity to make meaningful changes so that individuals are safe on the transport network".

The coroner wrote that "passenger intoxication is recognised as a risk to London Underground staff" by TfL.

She added: "Extreme intoxication is also known to be a risk to the individual who is intoxicated. However, it struck me that the risk to the individual is not necessarily at the forefront of TfL corporate thinking."

Claire Mann, TfL's chief operating officer said: "Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Sarah Cunningham, who tragically died at Chalk Farm Tube station on 2 November 2024.

"We are supporting the coroner in relation to the inquest into this incident and we have carried out our own internal investigation, which we have shared with the coroner.

"We recognise the important role our staff play in protecting customers from harm and we will always take action to learn from incidents and improve operational safety."

TfL has until 16 June to respond to the coroner.