Person killed by Ickenham Tube blocked from safety spot by cables

A passenger who fell onto a London Underground track was unable to avoid being hit and killed by a train due to communication cables preventing them moving to a place of safety, an investigation has found. CCTV showed the passenger was aware a train was approaching at Ickenham station, west London, before they were struck at about 22:30 GMT on 28 March 2025. Neither station staff nor the driver had seen the passenger, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report said. The train's brakes automatically applied as it pulled away due to its safety system coming into contact with the passenger, who was then discovered. Transport for London (TfL) said it "fully supported" the investigation. The passenger, whom the RAIB described as vulnerable, lay undiscovered for two minutes on the track after losing their balance. Before being struck, they tried to move from the track bed to the under-platform recess but this was blocked by communication cables. The platform lighting created a sharp contrast with the darker track bed and the passenger was dressed in dark clothing, making them harder to detect, investigators found. Last year, an inquest ruled that a man who had been run over by