Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to prevent suicides on the East Coast Main Line through Retford.

The Department is aware of the fatalities in the Retford area between 2014 – 2016 and recognises that each death by suicide on the railway is one too many. The rail industry has a significant work stream in place to prevent suicide on the network which brings together the Rail Delivery Group, Samaritans, the British Transport Police and the Department in a bid to reduce the risk of suicide on our railways.

Part of Network Rail’s suicide prevention escalation process is to alert local authorities where it is believed a cluster (as defined by Public Health England guidance) of suicides or attempted suicides are taking place. Network Rail is proactive in contacting the relevant local authority to ask about their suicide prevention work and how this can be supported.

Network Rail takes preventative measures including fencing on disused platforms, along with signage and training of staff.

In particular high risk areas, they also work with the local community to look for those who are vulnerable to suicide. It is important that the police, the wider rail industry, as well as other appropriate local stakeholders, should be involved in the development and implementation of local authorities suicide prevention plans, particularly in high-risk locations.