Sloping platform warning after pram hits train

Clearer warnings about sloping platforms are needed after a two-month-old baby was injured when its pram rolled into the side of a moving train, accident investigators have said.

The incident occurred as a passenger train was arriving at Banbury station in Oxfordshire shortly after 12:36 BST on 8 June.

A Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report found warning notices about a slight slope towards the platform edge were not conspicuous enough.

Chiltern Railways, responsible for managing the station, has since installed signs in the customer lifts warning pushchair and wheelchair users.

The RAIB report described how the infant's parent and relative had been waiting behind the yellow line with the pram and luggage.

The parent then let go of the pram "momentarily" and it rolled towards and collided with the side of the train's second carriage.

The train was travelling at about 35mph (56km/h) at the time.

The impact caused the pram to "spin and tip over", with the infant falling out on to the platform suffering minor head injuries.

The report concluded: "The small degree of slope present is unlikely to have been apparent to the infant’s parent, who possibly became momentarily distracted while unaware of the hazard created by the slope."

Rail industry research from 2018 warned that platforms sloping slightly towards the platform edge posed a "considerable risk" to those using pushchairs and wheelchairs.

The research recommended measures to aid communication in the form of platform marking, signage and station announcements to alert passengers to the hazard.

The report found there were signs on the ground at Banbury Station warning "Sloping Platform Apply Brakes" but they were painted yellow to signify a hazard and were not in passengers' line of sight.

In a statement, Chiltern Railways said: “Our station staff looked after the family involved in this incident, called an ambulance and supported the family whilst the paramedics arrived.

“We have since installed additional signage at Banbury Station which reminds customers to remain vigilant and safe on the platforms.”

You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.