Passenger tumbles on the increase

THE number of injuries to passengers using the railways and the Tube is on the rise, official figures reveal.

The increase in 2009-10 compared with 2008-9 was caused mainly by passengers falling on stairs and escalators, according to a health and safety report from the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR).

Customers suffering injuries getting on or off trains also added to the overall total last year, the ORR said.

In its report — the first of its kind — the ORR expressed concern about track worker safety, with 2009-10 marked by three fatalities among rail staff.

The ORR also said it was also concerned about the reporting of minor injuries in Network Rail and its contractors, while there were "significant gaps" in the information the rail industry held on occupational health.

Despite "deeply concerning" safety trends, the report said that overall, Britain's railways continued to be among Europe's safest.