Overview

• Senior coroner Andrew Walker’s prevention of future deaths report reprimands TfL for failing to follow night-time track-search protocols, leading to Robert English’s electrocution and death on May 19, 2024.
• The report identifies a critical communication breakdown that allowed power on the Northern line to be restored without informing police that Mr English remained on the tracks.
• Walker highlights that inadequate lighting and lack of search equipment on trains and tracks at night hamper efforts to locate individuals and prevent fatalities.
• TfL’s 2024/25 health and safety report recorded six fatalities of people on Underground tracks, underlining a pattern of recurring safety risks.
• The Metropolitan Police self-referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and TfL, the Department for Transport and the Rail Safety and Standards Board are reviewing Walker’s recommendations.