Coroner Urges TfL and Mayor to Act After Fatal Jubilee Line Incident
- Safer Highways
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Transport for London and London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan have been urged to take further action on passenger safety following the death of a man who was struck by multiple Jubilee line trains at Stratford station.
Brian Mitchell, 72, died on 26 December 2023 after falling onto the tracks at the end of the platform. An inquest heard that he had remained in the same area for close to an hour before the incident, and that none of the four train drivers entering the station applied their emergency brakes.
Toxicology reports showed Mr Mitchell had a blood alcohol level of 272mg, more than three times the legal driving limit.
In a Prevention of Future Deaths report, senior coroner Graeme Irvine warned that little evidence had been provided to show meaningful improvements had been made since the incident. He raised concerns that existing risks at Stratford station had not been sufficiently addressed.
The coroner highlighted the absence of technological systems that could identify people on the track and alert staff in real time, noting that such measures had previously been recommended but were still not in place. He also questioned whether training for train operators and station staff had resulted in better decision-making during emergency situations, stating that no clear performance data had been supplied.
“I believe action should be taken to prevent future deaths,” Irvine wrote in his report to Sir Sadiq Khan, TfL and the Department for Transport. “In my opinion, you have the power to take such action.”
Transport for London said it was responding to the findings. Claire Mann, TfL’s chief operating officer, said the organisation was committed to learning from the tragedy.
“Our thoughts remain with Mr Mitchell’s family and friends,” she said. “We worked closely with the coroner during the inquest and will respond fully to the Prevention of Future Deaths report. We are taking steps to reduce the likelihood of similar incidents occurring in the future.”