New lighting on platforms to help tackle the rise in suicides

[crewmeal]

Interesing article even by DM standards.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...way-stations-tackle-rise-suicides-tracks.html

Soothing blue platform lights will be trialled in railway stations to tackle the rise in suicides on the tracks

• Network Rail will install calming blue lights on platforms at rail stations
• Sensors to be added which are triggered when people reach platform edge
• There have been 279 suicides or suspected suicides at stations this year
• This is the highest number on record and up from 246 the previous year

Soothing blue lights will be installed in some rail stations in the hope it will stop the growing number of suicides.

Network Rail is undertaking a series of trials, including the blue lights in canopies and lighting studs on platforms.

It is also investigating the use of sensors which are triggered when people enter certain areas of the railway, such as the end of platforms, and then play a recorded announcement.....
http://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=bBOTTqvd0r3Pooab7jrHcU&u=DailyMail​

 

[fowler9]

I was instantly sceptical when I saw it was the mail but I agree with everything in the article. Anything that could help stop people taking that decision and prevent railway staff from having to deal with the results can only be a good thing.

 

[306024]

Some further background reading.

http://www.railcommunitysafety.com/News/Pages/Romford-blue-lights-project.aspx

A new initiative, aimed at reducing suicide and antisocial behaviour, has been launched at Romford station - the project has seen the installation of solar powered blue studs on platforms two and three.

Adam Purse and Andy Ward from Route Crime Team for Anglia route, explained the background to the project:
“As part of the Fatality Management programme, the Route Crime team were looking at effective ways to enhance safety and to reduce the risk of suicides on the station platforms, Romford in particular.

Romford was Anglia’s number one station for fatalities and interventions and the GE inner area it lies on was the worst section on the Anglia route. Mid Platform Fencing (MPF), where fast line platforms are fenced off to prevent public access, had been introduced at nine stations on the GE inner, but this was not possible at Romford because of stopping trains, so we had to try something new.

 

[Johnuk123]

Is it April the 1st.

 

[Trainfan344]

I noticed that on Saturday Night when I was going on the central line from Liverpool Street, they had Always look on the bright side of life playing, which really made a nice change and made the station feel nice to use.

 

[badassunicorn]

I think they've already been installed at Romford

 

[fowler9]

Is it April the 1st.

No. October the 19th.

 

[Crossover]

Dewsbury has some of it's lights alternating with one being white, the next blue etc. can't post a picture at present but it does a pleasant ambiance

 

[stut]

Oh no. This is going to be very annoying (I suffer from a strong sensitivity to blue light).

Still, if it stops folk dying...

 

[Aictos]

Gatwick Airport has them fitted too.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

If they installed the hologram, as discussed on another thread, it may well have the opposite of the desired effect!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Anything else that stops people killing themselves has to be welcomed, but increased funding for mental health services along with measures of poverty reduction would have more of an impact, I feel. This is putting an ambulance at the bottom of a cliff, rather than a fence at the top.

 

[DownSouth]

Anything else that stops people killing themselves has to be welcomed, but increased funding for mental health services along with measures of poverty reduction would have more of an impact, I feel. This is putting an ambulance at the bottom of a cliff, rather than a fence at the top.

Decreasing convenience is an important component of a comprehensive suicide prevention strategy. Who's to say that this initiative is not being backed up by all the other important stuff which goes on behind the scenes?

 

[Rapidash]

Decreasing convenience is an important component of a comprehensive suicide prevention strategy. Who's to say that this initiative is not being backed up by all the other important stuff which goes on behind the scenes?

Quite.

I work in mental health care, and have had to deal with those with suicidal ideation for many years now.

It's staggering how someone so intent on going through with it, can be stopped in their tracks by a random thought about their surroundings distracts them and gives them that extra time time to mull over things. If 'Oh, why are the lights blue?' is an effective way of doing it, then thats fine by me.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Apologies, I wasn't meaning to be overly critical of this latest move (as the first clause in my previous post shows), just that one of the reasons suicides happen is the lack of access to care that could come sooner- if only the funding of mental health services was there. Rising inequality and rising poverty is a particular issue at the moment, along with the tendency to cut mental health services ahead of other NHS services (only to find that higher rates of mental illness simply makes other areas busier, as people who hit 'rock bottom' tend not to look after themselves as well).

But if blue lighting makes people think again, that can only be a good thing.

It might stop stations being used as 'shooting galleries' too!

 

[fowler9]

Apologies, I wasn't meaning to be overly critical of this latest move (as the first clause in my previous post shows), just that one of the reasons suicides happen is the lack of access to care that could come sooner- if only the funding of mental health services was there. Rising inequality and rising poverty is a particular issue at the moment, along with the tendency to cut mental health services ahead of other NHS services (only to find that higher rates of mental illness simply makes other areas busier, as people who hit 'rock bottom' tend not to look after themselves as well).

But if blue lighting makes people think again, that can only be a good thing.

It might stop stations being used as 'shooting galleries' too!

I never read what you said that way. Anything that prevents people from ending it all is a good thing. I was surprised but not disappointed to see adverts for the Samaritans recently appear at the ends of the platforms at my local station. Not sure how much it does but every little helps, more so than adverts for Tesco or what have you.

 

[Antman]

I never read what you said that way. Anything that prevents people from ending it all is a good thing. I was surprised but not disappointed to see adverts for the Samaritans recently appear at the ends of the platforms at my local station. Not sure how much it does but every little helps, more so than adverts for Tesco or what have you.

There were Samaritan adverts at Balcombe station the last time I was there, I don't know how effective they are but certainly worth trying