More than 1,000 suicide attempts have been prevented in the past three years due to the intervention of rail staff who have undergone special training to spot vulnerable people at risk, Network Rail has said.

The figures follow a partnership between Network Rail and the charity Samaritans, which has so far seen 10,000 frontline staff completing courses on managing suicidal contacts.



The Samaritans has run more than 800 courses since the scheme began in 2010 for station staff, train operating companies staff and British Transport police.



Network Rail said the 1,000-plus interventions included cases where staff reported “they had done just enough, they believe, to have prevented that person attempting to take their life on the railway”.



Suicides have a traumatic and demoralising impact on frontline rail staff, with many feeling powerless to prevent them. Since undergoing the courses there had been positive feedback from workers who felt they were in a position to make a difference, said Network Rail.



The training equipped staff with the skills, confidence and knowledge to identify and approach people exhibiting suicidal behaviour, and to be able to move them to a place of safety where police or paramedics could take over.



Among the interventions reported was one by Andrew Wellbeloved, a mobile operations manager with Network Rail, who said the course had enabled him to help a suicidal man in the north-west of England. “I approached the man, who seemed to be confused and disorientated but clearly in a state of despair. He told me he wanted to die,” he said. “I was nervous as I hadn’t been involved in a situation like that before, but the memory of my training gave me the confidence to speak to him.”



He managed to talk to the man and get him to safety, after which he called the emergency services, asking them not to use their sirens, and they took the man to hospital. “The training helped me remain calm and gave me confidence, as I felt as though I knew what I had to do,” he said.



Another intervention involved Joe Grimes, a dispatcher for Virgin Trains West Coast, who, when travelling to Birmingham by train, encountered a very distressed young woman. “Samaritans training meant that I knew what to say, how to handle the situation and how to achieve a positive outcome,” he said.



In 2013-4 there were 278 suicides on the rail network, rising to 293 in 2014-5, Network Rail said.

The number of people who killed themselves on the railways accounted for about 5% of all suicides. The total number in the UK has risen in recent years, with the latest Office for National Statistics figures showing 6,233 suicides registered in the UK in 2013, a 4% increase on the previous year.



Preventative measures include mid-platform fencing installed at 67 stations so far, platform end barriers installed at 135 stations, and yellow hatching on platform edges and ends. Other restrictions of access to the means of suicide being trialled at some stations include motion-activated speaking signs, “virtual assistants” – or speaking holograms – and the installation of blue LED lights that reportedly have a calming effect.

One station, which has a history of problems and had a number of incidents in recent years, has just reached one year without any incidents after preventative measures were installed.



Samaritans and the rail industry also run the We’re In Your Corner and Men on the Ropes campaigns, which aim to encourage those most at risk of suicide, particularly middle-aged working-class men, to seek support if they are struggling to cope.



Ruth Sutherland, the Samaritans CEO, said working with the rail industry was invaluable and has helped “raise awareness of Samaritans’ work and the need to reduce suicides on the railway”.



Welcoming the additional safety measures, she said: “These changes help to make travelling on the railways safer for everyone. Training 10,000 staff is an important milestone because the more potential we have to reach out to and help people through the programme, the better.”



Ian Stevens, the head of the Network Rail suicide-prevention programme, said: “Any death on the railway is a tragedy but the impact is felt not only by those who knew the person but also by the train driver and station staff, and those who are involved in the aftermath. We want to do everything we can to stop this from happening, and if it does, to help our people deal with it.



“By training thousands of railway staff to identify and help vulnerable people, Samaritans have helped us to save lives, reduce trauma to our people and keep the railway running for the millions that depend on it. A continued collaborative approach across the industry and everyone working in mental health is needed to tackle this societal problem and to help us keep Britain moving by rail.”



• In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here.