Eden Park: Blind man's death after platform fall sparks safety call

Eden Park station does not have the tactile paving that helps visually impaired people orientate themselves

The death of a blind man who fell on to the tracks at a railway station was a "senseless tragedy", a charity says.

Cleveland Gervais, 53, fell from the platform edge at Eden Park station in Bromley, south-east London, last February and was killed by a train.

A report has found that the lack of tactile paving there was a "possible causal factor" in his death.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) said all railway stations should have tactile surface strips.

The RNIB's Sarah Lambert, who described the death as "unacceptable", said: "Tactile paving is not just an accessibility measure, it is fundamental to the health and safety of passengers and pedestrians.

"In today's society, there should be no train platforms without tactile paving, and it is unacceptable that it took a senseless tragedy to bring attention to its vital importance."

Tactile surfaces are common on pavements and are found on some platform edges at railway stations

The report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) into what happened on 26 February 2020 found that Mr Gervais was struck "almost immediately" by a Southeastern train running from Hayes to London Charing Cross.

RAIB investigators felt Mr Gervais had been unaware of how close he was to the edge.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

'Cannot make sense to wait'

Evidence reviewed in the report indicated that visually impaired passengers who travel by train are exposed to substantially greater risk on station platforms than the general population.

Tactile surfaces are "crucial" in reducing this risk, investigators added.

RAIB's chief inspector Simon French admitted installing new strips would be costly but said new policies were needed to better inform those who redesign platforms.

"This would inform the development of a programme for the installation of tactile strips, particularly at places where the risk is likely to be higher, such as busy unstaffed stations," he said.

"It cannot always make sense simply to wait until platforms are refurbished to install the strips."

It is one of six recommendations the RAIB has made to various organisations to improve safety in the wake of Mr Gervais's death.

Network Rail is responsible for installing tactile paving at the station.

The rail company's route director for Kent, Fiona Taylor, said: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Mr Gervais, who tragically lost his life at Eden Park last year. I am so sorry for their loss.

"We accept the recommendations made to us by the RAIB, and will continue to work hard to make our railway a safer and more inclusive place for all our passengers."

Southeastern, which runs Eden Park station, said it would implement all the recommendations.