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Lord Blunkett, former UK home secretary and Labour Peer, has called for an urgent review of Tube platforms following an injury he suffered while boarding a train at Westminster station last month. Blunkett, who is blind, slipped while getting on a District line train with his guide dog and wants Transport for London (TfL) to do more to ensure visually impaired individuals are safe. Blunkett explained that while stepping onto the train, he felt both of his feet disappear as he fell into the gap between the walkway and the train. He is calling for TfL to fill the widest gaps on platforms and ensure a staff member is always present, particularly during peak hours.
Blunkett had a recent heart attack which means he must take blood thinners, thereby making any bruising or bleeding more dangerous. An X-ray confirmed extensive bruising, but no broken bones, and Blunkett stated that he was “angry” about the incident, adding “some of our platforms are death traps. The gap between the walkway and train is huge and they are unsafe for everyone, but particularly for blind people.” Blunkett, who served as the MP for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough between 1987 and 2015, is expected to request TfL launch an urgent review into the safety of the busiest tube stations. Regarding the incident, London Underground expressed that it was “extremely sorry” and would be meeting with Blunkett to determine how to improve.
Nick Dent, director of customer operations at the London Underground, stated “we are undertaking a huge range of work aimed at eradicating such incidents and making travelling even safer for everyone. The safety of our customers and staff is at the forefront of everything we do, and while injuries like the one experienced by Lord Blunkett are rare, we are undertaking a huge range of work aimed at eradicating such incidents and making travelling even safer for everyone.” Blunkett hopes that urgent steps will be taken to review the safety of train platforms, ensuring incidents like his don’t occur again
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