From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

From https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01/06/tube-drivers-pay-attention-after-pensioner-crushed-to-death/

Drivers of automated Tube trains were warned to pay rCLclose attentionrCY to the tracks after a pensioner was killed.

Brian Mitchell, 72, was hit and crushed seven times by four trains as
operators did not see him on the tracks.

The pensioner from Edinburgh was struck as three of the Jubilee Line trains that hit him subsequently reversed over his body after failing to spot him.

East London coroner Graeme Irvine issued a warning to Sir Sadiq Khan, the
Mayor of London, saying that automated train operators are not paying
enough attention to the tracks.

The coroner said that an rCLattentiverCY train operator would have spotted Mr Mitchell, and that his death could have been avoided.

Three operators failed to notice man on tracks

In a Prevention of Future Deaths Report, Mr Irvine said: rCLJubilee Line
trains use Automatic Train Operation (ATO). This means that train operators (TOs) do not drive the train. Acceleration and braking are automated.

rCLThe expectation of TOs is that they pay close attention to the train and
the tracks before them and override the ATO system and apply brakes if they observe an object on the tracks.

rCLIn this case, at least three separate TOs failed to notice a man before
them on the tracks or to override the automatic system.rCY

A previous inquest heard Mr Mitchell got off a Jubilee train at Stratford underground station and sat down on a bench on platform 13 on Boxing Day in 2023.

An hour later, he was seen on CCTV standing up and rCLlurchingrCY towards the edge of the platform, where he fell onto the train tracks.

Mr Mitchell was stranded on the tracks for five and a half minutes before
an approaching train failed to stop and hit him.

The train operator arriving at the platform did not notice Mr Mitchell on
the tracks, and the automatic train approaching struck him down.

Mr Mitchell went unnoticed even after the impact, and the train reversed
back out of the station over him.

Three more trains entered and left the station, driving over Mr Mitchell, despite a member of staff trying to stop the last train as it entered the platform.

Mr Mitchell was declared dead by paramedics at Stratford station, having sustained traumatic injuries.

Mr Irvine said: rCLThe court heard that the initial collision with Brian was likely to have been avoidable. The track layout would have allowed BrianrCOs presence to have been noticed by an attentive TO.

rCLAdditionally, it was asserted that a TO would have had sufficient time to react and bring the train to a stop many metres before BrianrCOs location.

rCLThe court heard that these omissions may have resulted from the fact that platform 13 is a terminus platform, which could result in a lowered level
of attention on the part of TOs.rCY

The inquest into Mr MitchellrCOs death noted that he was intoxicated with alcohol when the incident took place.

Mr Irvine said he believed there was a risk of future deaths if action was
not taken to make the automatic train operation safer.

He said there needed to be measures to detect and alert staff to the
presence of people on the tracks, as well as training for drivers to teach
them how to concentrate on the tracks while they operate automatic trains.
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From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:

From https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01/06/tube-drivers-pay-attention-after-pensioner-crushed-to-death/

Drivers of automated Tube trains were warned to pay rCLclose attentionrCY to the tracks after a pensioner was killed.

Brian Mitchell, 72, was hit and crushed seven times by four trains as operators did not see him on the tracks.

rCLThe expectation of TOs is that they pay close attention to the train and the tracks before them and override the ATO system and apply brakes if they observe an object on the tracks.

Mr Irvine said he believed there was a risk of future deaths if action was not taken to make the automatic train operation safer.

He said there needed to be measures to detect and alert staff to the
presence of people on the tracks, as well as training for drivers to teach them how to concentrate on the tracks while they operate automatic trains.

Weakens the Union Case that a Driver/Train operator has to be present in a
cab if such a thing can occur , full unattended operation with the
appropriate obstacle detection systems in place would not suffer from Human failings. Such systems if they are not sufficiently developed already cannot be far off even if it has to be acquired from the developments occurring for driverless cars.
Actually thinking as I write isnrCOt it one of the difficulties facing the operation of the Heritage Trams in Blackpool as the modern fleet is being fitted with such a system to minimise risk to pedestrians and fitting it to
the old vehicles presents a challenge. Glasgow hopes to run its new subway stock without any staff on board eventually , would have thought that would have such a system. While there are no open tracks its narrow platforms
must present similar risks though like Londons actual tube stations I
believe there are pits. Stratford Jubilee being on the surface does not. There would also the cost and practicality of fitting such a system to
stock now 30 years old so anything like it may have to wait until it is replaced.

GH
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From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

On 6 Jan 2026 15:20:56 GMT, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote:

Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:

From
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01/06/tube-drivers-pay-attention-after-pensioner-crushed-to-death/

Drivers of automated Tube trains were warned to pay rCLclose attentionrCY to >> the tracks after a pensioner was killed.

Brian Mitchell, 72, was hit and crushed seven times by four trains as
operators did not see him on the tracks.

rCLThe expectation of TOs is that they pay close attention to the train and >> the tracks before them and override the ATO system and apply brakes if they >> observe an object on the tracks.

Mr Irvine said he believed there was a risk of future deaths if action was >> not taken to make the automatic train operation safer.

He said there needed to be measures to detect and alert staff to the
presence of people on the tracks, as well as training for drivers to teach >> them how to concentrate on the tracks while they operate automatic trains. >>

Weakens the Union Case that a Driver/Train operator has to be present in a >cab if such a thing can occur , full unattended operation with the >appropriate obstacle detection systems in place would not suffer from Human >failings. Such systems if they are not sufficiently developed already >cannot be far off even if it has to be acquired from the developments >occurring for driverless cars.

The DLR has always operated without drivers, and still doesn't have obstacle detection, even in the latest fleet. No
PEDs, either.

Actually thinking as I write isnrCOt it one of the difficulties facing the >operation of the Heritage Trams in Blackpool as the modern fleet is being >fitted with such a system to minimise risk to pedestrians and fitting it to >the old vehicles presents a challenge. Glasgow hopes to run its new subway >stock without any staff on board eventually , would have thought that would >have such a system.

It's due to happen in the second half of this year, after PEDs (PSDs in the local terminology) have been fitted.

https://www.facebook.com/glasgowsubway/posts/you-may-have-noticed-that-installation-of-the-platform-screen-doors-has-begun-at/1306415518188132/

While there are no open tracks its narrow platforms
must present similar risks though like Londons actual tube stations I
believe there are pits. Stratford Jubilee being on the surface does not. >There would also the cost and practicality of fitting such a system to
stock now 30 years old so anything like it may have to wait until it is >replaced.

It might be done with obstacle detection sensors in the station, rather than on the trains.
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From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

On 6 Jan 2026 15:20:56 GMT
Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> gabbled:

Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:

He said there needed to be measures to detect and alert staff to the
presence of people on the tracks, as well as training for drivers to teach >> them how to concentrate on the tracks while they operate automatic trains. >>

Weakens the Union Case that a Driver/Train operator has to be present in a >cab if such a thing can occur , full unattended operation with the >appropriate obstacle detection systems in place would not suffer from Human

The union case simply exist so these clowns can continue to collect their knocking-on 80K salary for basically doing fuck all most of the day.

failings. Such systems if they are not sufficiently developed already >cannot be far off even if it has to be acquired from the developments >occurring for driverless cars.

Inattention when operating a car in self drive mode has already caused a
number of deaths. All Teslas IIRC.


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From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

On Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:46:38 +0000
Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> gabbled:

On 6 Jan 2026 15:20:56 GMT, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> wrote: >>Actually thinking as I write isnrCOt it one of the difficulties facing the >>operation of the Heritage Trams in Blackpool as the modern fleet is being >>fitted with such a system to minimise risk to pedestrians and fitting it to >>the old vehicles presents a challenge. Glasgow hopes to run its new subway >>stock without any staff on board eventually , would have thought that would >>have such a system.

It's due to happen in the second half of this year, after PEDs (PSDs in the >local terminology) have been fitted.

https://www.facebook.com/glasgowsubway/posts/you-may-have-noticed-that-installa
tion-of-the-platform-screen-doors-has-begun-at/1306415518188132/

Wow, could they have found a chunkier and uglier setup? Hideous.


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From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

<boltar@caprica.universe> wrote:

On 6 Jan 2026 15:20:56 GMT
Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> gabbled:

Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:

He said there needed to be measures to detect and alert staff to the
presence of people on the tracks, as well as training for drivers to teach >>> them how to concentrate on the tracks while they operate automatic trains. >>>

Weakens the Union Case that a Driver/Train operator has to be present in a >> cab if such a thing can occur , full unattended operation with the
appropriate obstacle detection systems in place would not suffer from Human

The union case simply exist so these clowns can continue to collect their knocking-on 80K salary for basically doing fuck all most of the day.

failings. Such systems if they are not sufficiently developed already
cannot be far off even if it has to be acquired from the developments
occurring for driverless cars.

Inattention when operating a car in self drive mode has already caused a number of deaths. All Teslas IIRC.

Teslas get the publicity, thanks to MuskrCOs exaggerated claims about the dishonestly named FSD feature. But theyrCOre not the only ones:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54175359

https://www.thinkchina.sg/technology/three-students-killed-ev-crash-are-chinas-self-driving-cars-safe-enough
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: uk.transport.london

On Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:44:16 GMT
Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> gabbled:

<boltar@caprica.universe> wrote:

Inattention when operating a car in self drive mode has already caused a
number of deaths. All Teslas IIRC.

Teslas get the publicity, thanks to MuskrCOs exaggerated claims about the >dishonestly named FSD feature. But theyrCOre not the only ones:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54175359

https://www.thinkchina.sg/technology/three-students-killed-ev-crash-are-chinas-
self-driving-cars-safe-enough

Sad but not unexpected. Clearly the driver wasn't paying attention at all.

My car has a lane follow mode - doesn't do any clever stuff like pull out
and overtake - but I don't trust it at all. On a few occasions when the line has almost disappeared it just beeped at me and gave up and another time when it drifted onto the lane seperator which ended up with me concentrating on minor details of the road (rather than the big picture) more when it was driving than when I was which was more tiring than just driving the car myself.

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