Lord Pattenasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 1 December (WA 10), whether they propose to review their policies and those of the agencies concerned, relating to the prevention of suicides on the railways. [HL309]
§ Lord Davies of OldhamPolicies relating to the prevention of suicides on the railways are kept under constant review. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the independent railway health and safety regulator, continues to take a proactive approach to ensuring that unauthorised access to the railway infrastructure is minimised. However, it is virtually impossible to prevent a determined individual from gaining access to the railway.
The rail industry's Rail Fatality Management Group works with other agencies, including mental health organisations, to deal with the problem of suicides on the railways. The group is working to develop guidelines for preventing suicides and handling their aftermath.