Passengers 'stranded' at locked train station


Passengers on a late-night train to Newry could not exit the locked station - Image © Anne Greer

Translink has apologised after rail passengers were left stranded on a platform when a late-night train arrived into a station that was already shut for the night.

A group of about 30 customers were stuck on the platform at Newry Train Station for more than 45 minutes in the early hours of Saturday.

One of the passengers, Anne Greer, told BBC News NI it raised safety questions for the public transport company as the customers had no safe way to exit the station.

Translink said the firm was "looking into the incident" but added its train crew "remained with the passengers to ensure their safety while the issue was resolved".

The train was among a number of extra late-night services which are running to and from Belfast during the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (Music Festival of Ireland).  It was scheduled to leave Belfast at 23:59 BST on Friday and it arrived in Newry at about 01:20 BST on Saturday.

"To our surprise the entire station was closed, so we couldn't exit," Greer said.  "So we're all trapped on the platforms for over 40 minutes."

She said the train crew "helped as much as they could, but there was nothing they could do.  They were completely gobsmacked as to why they've arrived into a completely closed and locked train station."

Greer said she and other passengers tried to contact Translink but they could only find phone numbers for call centres which had also already closed for the day.  She argued it should be a "learning point" for health and safety as she felt there was no safe escape if there had been an injury or any kind of emergency.  "If something had happened.. the only options we had were the tracks in front of us, which obviously nobody was going to try walking on."

Shortly before 02:00 a worker arrived at the station and opened the doors to let passengers out.

(BBC article continues)