Mind the gap: Third passenger seriously injured on Elizabeth line

A third passenger has contacted the BBC after being seriously injured using the Elizabeth line at Ealing Broadway in west London.

Louise Daramola has told BBC London she was knocked unconscious and hospitalised after cutting her shins getting on the train in July 2022. She blames the height of the gap and says someone could be killed at the location.

Two other passengers have been seriously injured at the same place on platform 4.

Transport for London (TfL) and Network Rail, which owns the platforms, have both said they are “sorry” some passengers have sustained injuries and that safety is their “priority”. They say they are reviewing what can be done to reduce the gap.

Ms Daramola says the platform is dangerous and needs fixing: “The main thing there is the gap is too high.

“And the edge is quite sharp. So if you miss your step the edge is quite dangerous as well. So that was the cut I had, the deep laceration I had.

“I fear that someone will die, because I was actually unconscious so it can happen to other people as well, even worse.”

She added: “What about vulnerable people? Elderly? If I can fall there, it means it’s quite dangerous. I wasn’t running.”

Rolf Kern, 82, also had to go to hospital after he badly gashed his shin trying to board an Elizabeth line train.

He says the vertical gap between the platform and the train is too high and caused his injury.

He is now considering legal action.

Mr Kern said: “Normally, I take the left or right-hand side and use the handrail. But this time I happened to be in the middle and I missed the step and fell flat on the floor.

“I immediately realised I’d hurt myself very badly.”

“The wound was very bad. It was a two-inch gap under the knee and the skin was actually totally detached. It’s very, very serious.”

Mr Kern says the height of the step should not be permitted: “It is the sheer fact that the step is 12 to 14 inches high, which I find for a modern, new line – where the government invested so much money – unacceptable.”

In February, also at Ealing Broadway station, Eric Leach stepped off an Elizabeth line train onto the platform.

Such was the force from the drop that he broke a bone in his foot. He collapsed on the platform.

Mr Leach, who also suffered bruising to his right knee, says something needs to be done: “It’s a 12-inch gap. Mums with buggies, people with heavy luggage, elderly people, of course it’s not acceptable.”

He previously told BBC London: “It’s a scandal, someone will be seriously injured or die. It’s a death trap.

“I was trying to get off. Other people were trying to force their way on. I was terrified looking at the gap, lost my balance and came down and fell and broke a bone in my left foot. And mashed up my right knee.

“I was on the ground for about 20 minutes. I was taken home in a taxi and a couple of days later I realised I was bad so I went to Ealing Hospital. “

Mr Leach’s story was seen worldwide with 7.9 million views on BBC London’s social media channels on Instagram, Facebook and X.

The Elizabeth line opened in May 2022 and cost £19bn.

The platforms at Ealing Broadway are owned by Network Rail and are not new. Before the introduction of Elizabeth line services, they were used by GWR trains out of London Paddington.

Safety guidance says new platforms should not have a horizontal gap larger than 27.5cm (10.8in) or a vertical gap of more than 23cm (9in).

However, Rail Safety and Standards Board rules only apply to new stations, so Ealing Broadway as an older platform does not fall under the regulations. The rules do not apply.

Gareth Dennis is from the Campaign for Level Boarding and says work on the platform will need to be done.

“Ealing Broadway is a good example of a station that is very complicated and very challenging but, at some point, we will have to correct those platforms because they are lower than the national standard as lots of Great Western platforms are.

“We need to lift those platforms to the national standard position. It wouldn’t provide level boarding but it would improve that gap.”

He added: “Ealing Broadway will at some time fall into the net of having that work done but it’s about priorities.”

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We are very sorry to hear about the injuries suffered by the passenger at Ealing Broadway.

“Safety is our number one priority and we previously met with the station user group to listen to their concerns.

“We are not currently funded to do improvements to the platforms, however we are working closely with our partners at TfL and MTR-Elizabeth line to review what might be done as part of our joint safety improvement plan.”

A TfL spokesperson said: “We are sorry that a small number of customers have sustained injuries at Ealing Broadway station and we wish them a full and speedy recovery.

“Such incidents across the Elizabeth line are thankfully rare. Safety is a priority for us and while the height difference between the train and the platform at this station complies with the required safety standards we are working with our operator, MTR-Elizabeth line, and Network Rail to see if it is possible to raise the platform at Ealing Broadway.

“We have also developed a range of enhancements at the station to increase customer safety. This includes the installation of a new barrier to enhance the management of passenger flow, and the extension of a handrail.”