Summary

At about 16:00 hrs on Wednesday 31 January 2018, a passenger became trapped in the doors of a London Underground train as she attempted to board a westbound Central line service at Notting Hill Gate station while the doors were closing. The train departed and reached a maximum speed of 35 km/h before the emergency brakes were applied and the train stopped. The passenger was dragged for approximately 75 metres along the platform, and about 15 metres further into the tunnel. She suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital, where she was treated for about a month. She has since been steadily recovering.

The accident occurred because the passenger’s bag became trapped in the doors as she attempted to board the train, the train’s door control system did not detect the presence of the bag trapped in the doors, and the train operator was not aware of the trapped passenger before initiating the train’s departure. It is likely that the train operator did not perceive the passenger because of a number of interacting factors associated with the nature of his task which caused him to not consciously process the available information. The view on the in-cab CCTV monitor did not adequately assist him to detect that a passenger was trapped in the doors and he relied on other cues to depart rather than making a thorough check of the in-cab CCTV monitor.

The investigation identified a probable underlying factor associated with training programmes for train operators, concerning scanning techniques for in-cab CCTV monitors and awareness of the limitations of door-traction interlocks.

Recommendations

The RAIB has made five recommendations and one learning point, all addressed to London Underground. The recommendations concern the detection of objects by the train’s door systems, how the design of the task, equipment and training can influence train operators’ attention and awareness, and the use of emergency stop facilities on platforms. While there is no evidence that the train operator was impaired by drugs or alcohol, the learning point concerns the importance of following procedures for drug and alcohol testing where relevant.

Notes to editors

1. The sole purpose of RAIB investigations is to prevent future accidents and incidents and improve railway safety. RAIB does not establish blame, liability or carry out prosecutions.
2. RAIB operates, as far as possible, in an open and transparent manner. While our investigations are completely independent of the railway industry, we do maintain close liaison with railway companies and if we discover matters that may affect the safety of the railway, we make sure that information about them is circulated to the right people as soon as possible, and certainly long before publication of our final report.
3. For media enquiries, please call 01932 440015.

Newsdate: 3 September 2018

As the Cairncross Review heads to Brussels, polling has also revealed almost half of British adults (47%) believe that the quality of news available has declined in the last five years.

The fact-finding mission to Brussels, as part of the Review’s Call for Evidence, will enable Chair Dame Frances Cairncross to explore threats to the sustainability of the news industry as a Europe-wide problem.

Dame Frances Cairncross said:

The challenges facing the press are not unique to the UK and it is vital that my Review listens to the experiences of other countries. I look forward to learning more in Brussels about the questions industry and policy makers are grappling with and the solutions they are considering to ensure the future of the free press is protected.

The independent review, commissioned by the Prime Minister in January, has been tasked with looking at ways to safeguard the future of the UK’s free, independent and high-quality news in the digital age.

Dame Frances will seek to understand what European governments are doing to protect the creation and consumption of accurate and financially-sustainable journalism and will speak to key stakeholders, including from the European Publishers’ Council and representatives of the Digital Economy in the European Commission.

With her final recommendations to Government and industry expected in the new year, she is particularly keen to gauge views in Europe on the buying and selling of advertising online and whether this could be made more transparent, as well as the appetite in the EU for regulation to counter the disrupting influence of online platforms on the press industry.

An online YouGov survey of British adults’ newspaper habits has found that for the first time, more people are now regularly accessing content from national newspapers online, through apps and websites, than in print (28% to 22%). It also revealed:

• Two thirds (68%) of British online adults regularly access news through the internet.
• Almost half of those who regularly access news (47%) admit they are accessing news in more ways now, compared to five years ago
• Almost a third (31%) of those who regularly access news said they pay more attention to what they read in a printed newspaper than to news they read online, although most (55%) say they pay the same level of attention to both
• TV and Radio remain the most popular platforms for accessing news – 58% regularly access news from TV and 43% from Radio
• This compares with 29% of adults online stating they access news through social media feeds such as Facebook, Twitter, or Snapchat

The Review has previously highlighted how a quarter of all regional and local newspapers have closed in the past decade. And while the survey results show local or regional news is important to 76% of those who regularly access news, just 13% of adults said they access news via a printed local or regional newspaper, and 13% saying they access a local newspaper online. However almost two thirds (61%) said enough local news was provided for them where they live. This further emphasises the challenge posed to local newspapers – there is a disconnect between those who think local news is important, and those who seek out such news via a local paper.

The Review is calling for evidence and views from both consumers and the industry itself on the issues under consideration, including how to create and support the conditions that will enable high quality journalism to continue and flourish.

Notes to Editors:

1. Any evidence or information can be submitted to the Cairncross Review Secretariat at Cairncrossreview@culture.gov.uk or Cairncross Review Secretariat, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, 4th floor, 100 Parliament Street, London, SW1A 2BQ. Responses will be published in full or summary form unless explicitly flagged ‘not for publication’, in which case they will be kept private.
2. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 2020 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 23 – 24 August 2018. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns will visit Bridgend-based PCI Pharma Services later today (Monday 3 September) to underline the UK government’s commitment to support the Welsh business community as the UK prepares to leave the European Union.

The visit follows the UK Government’s publication of its White Paper in July, outlining the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Last week, the Government published a series of technical notices with information to allow businesses and citizens to understand what they would need to do in the unlikely event of a ‘no deal’ scenario.

During the visit, the Welsh Secretary will tour the site and speak to senior leaders and members of staff about how the White Paper proposal will ensure a deep and long future relationship with the EU, making sure that Wales and the rest of the UK is best placed to make the most of the opportunities ahead while taking back control of our laws, borders and money.

PCI Pharma Services (PCI) is a full-service provider of specialist outsourced drug manufacturing, clinical trial services, and commercial packaging to the global healthcare industry. PCI’s Bridgend site provides extensive services in support of Clinical investigational medicines, including secondary packaging and labelling expertise, storage and global distribution, coupled with its capability for supporting a considerable range of Cold Chain and Ultra Cold chain product needs, including the expertise and infrastructure to support preparation, storage and global distribution of advanced medicines with cryogenic temperature requirements down to -196ºC.

The company also has facilities in Hay on Wye, Tredegar and Treforest, as well as sites in Rockford and Philadelphia in the US, Dublin, Ireland and Melbourne, Australia. The Welsh Secretary met representatives from the US sites during a three-day visit to New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in February this year.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

This Government is committed to delivering a Brexit that promotes jobs and prosperity, keeps our people safe and protects the precious Union between the four nations of the UK, while taking back control of our money, laws and borders.

PCI Pharma is a global leader in the pharmaceutical field, providing packaging and drug development expertise to companies around the world. It is an important employer in this region of Wales and makes a significant contribution to the Welsh economy. My ambition is for this to continue long after we leave the European Union.

Dr Fiona Withey, Vice Present of Global Clinical Strategy at PCI Pharma is a regular contributor on the Secretary of State’s Economic Advisory Board and Expert Panel, to advise on how Wales can capitalise on the benefits of the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy, as well as opportunities arising from leaving the EU.

Dr Withey said:

PCI has followed the Brexit negotiations with great interest, as have our global pharmaceutical and biotech clients. As a provider of services supporting medicines destined to more than 100 countries around the world, PCI is uniquely positioned to ensure a seamless supply chain to our clients for all potential outcomes. We support lifesaving commercial medicines, as well as those for investigational Clinical studies, to patients all over the world.

We appreciate the time and attention Secretary Cairns has paid to facilitating dialogue and communication with companies like ourselves, as well as ensuring the parties reach an agreeable outcome, with focus on safeguarding the continuity of timely delivery for critical medication to patients.

ENDS