Railway worker dies after being hit by train in Surbiton

A railway worker has been killed after being hit by a train in south-west London.

Emergency services were called to Surbiton railway station at about midday on Tuesday following reports of a casualty on the tracks. A 30-year-old man from Hampshire died at the scene.

British Transport Police said the man’s family had been informed and that officers were working with the Office of Rail and Road and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to establish the full circumstances behind his death. The incident happened between Surbiton and Weybridge.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Langley, from British Transport Police, said: “This is a tragic incident which has resulted in the very sad death of a railway worker.

“Our deepest condolences are with the man’s family who are being supported by specially trained officers.”

South Western Railway said it had switched off the power in the affected area to allow emergency services access and that it expected delays and cancellations until 7pm on Tuesday. A number of replacement bus services have been put on to minimise disruption.

Andrew Haines, Network Rail chief executive, said he was “devastated” at the news and that it was “an incredibly sad time for the railway family”.

Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association, said: “Our thoughts and sympathies are with the worker who has died and their family members.

“Any loss of life on our railways is a tragedy.

“It would be wrong to speculate at this time about what has gone wrong, but a full and thorough investigation must take place, so lessons can be learned.

“Our union has been warning Network Rail about the alarming number of near misses and fatalities we have seen over the past year.

“Our Network Rail members do so much to keep our railways running smoothly day in, day out, and must be able to do this in a safe environment.

“Our union will never compromise on safety, and safety can never be taken for granted. It is simply not acceptable in this day and age that people go out to work and end up losing their lives.”