November 17th 2024.
Lord Blunkett recently suffered a heart attack, which means he now has to take blood thinners. This makes any bruising or bleeding a serious concern for him. Unfortunately, this concern became a reality when he fell into the gap while getting on a District Line train with his guide dog three weeks ago. As a result, he sustained extraordinary bruising to his legs, which was revealed in an X-ray. Recounting the incident, Lord Blunkett, who served as the home secretary in Tony Blair's New Labour government, said, "As I took a step to get on to the tube train, I suddenly felt both my feet disappearing down the gap." He added, "In an instant, my body had been propelled forward into the carriage and I was face down on the floor."
Transport for London (TfL) has apologized for the situation and is set to meet with Lord Blunkett to discuss the incident. The former home secretary has since expressed his concern for the safety of tube platforms, referring to some as "death traps." He shared, "Some of our platforms are death traps, and I experienced this firsthand." He believes that while there are announcements advising people to mind the gap, there are often no staff members available to assist those who, like him, are visually impaired.
Lord Blunkett is now urging TfL to take action and ensure that the widest gaps on platforms are filled. He also emphasizes the need for staff members to be present at all times, especially during rush hour. He wrote in the Sun on Sunday, "The gap between the walkway and train is huge and they are unsafe for everyone, but particularly for blind people."
The fall has left Lord Blunkett in "enormous pain" in both legs, and he is now calling for an urgent review into the safety of the busiest tube stations. He is set to meet with TfL to discuss his concerns and to seek answers. Nick Dent, London Underground's director of customer operations, expressed their regret for the incident and promised to learn from it. He said, "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."
In light of recent events, Lord Blunkett's call for action to be taken on "death trap" tube platforms holds even more weight. He believes that it is the responsibility of TfL to ensure the safety of all passengers, and he hopes that his experience will bring about necessary changes. In the meantime, to stay informed about the latest news in London, be sure to visit The Agency's London news hub.
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