An urgent warning has been issued to Transport for London after an intoxicated woman stepped into a tunnel. Her dead body was only found two days later.
Artist Sarah Cunningham was hit by a train at Chalk Farm Underground Station after being on a night out with friends in Camden – with TfL now warned it needs to improve its safety measures. Sarah was found to have been under the influence of a combination of alcohol, cocaine and ketamine on the tragic night. She was let in through the barriers at the Tube station by a member of the public after it was left unstaffed by two TfL workers.
These workers were not able to check CCTV footage at that time as one was on a break and the other was taking a phone call. Sarah then stayed on the platform for 12 minutes and laid on a bench before she ran up to a Northern Line train as the doors were closing, but narrowly missed it.
Sarah then entered the tunnel – at around 3:30am on November 2, 2024 – and an inquest heard there was an 18-minute gap between that moment and the next train passing through the station. One of the staff members at the station said he saw Sarah on CCTV and was worried for her safety but could not find her when he went to check the platform and didn’t rewind the footage.
It took two days for TfL workers to find the 31-year-old’s body after she was reported missing on November 2. Sarah’s family said there were “multiple chances” for people to intervene before she died on the tracks.
Lawyers for Sarah’s family said they are “concerned that Transport for London does not appear to have committed to any actions to reduce the risks of this happening again in future”.
Mary Hassell, a senior coroner for Inner North London, warned TfL should have greater focus on the safety of intoxicated passengers on its network. Hassell said: “Extreme intoxication is also known to be a risk to the individual who is intoxicated. However, it struck me that the risk to the individual is not necessarily at the forefront of TfL corporate thinking.
“Clearly, individuals have responsibility for their own drinking and/or drug taking, and the consequences thereof. Intoxication carries additional risk whatever the activity. However, public transport is encouraged for many good reasons.
“Not least, it is a matter of public policy that those who are or may become intoxicated should make travel plans that do not involve being in charge of a vehicle. The London Underground is an obvious alternative. Realistically, some London Underground passengers will be intoxicated and that has to inform TfL’s corporate planning.”
Hassell’s report added that Sarah, a resident at the Lisson Gallery in London, was a “sporadic user of drugs on a recreational basis”. A lawyer for the family said: “Sarah’s family believe her case is one in a long line of others shining a light on TfL’s approach to public safety. They welcome the senior coroner’s prevention of future deaths report and sincerely hope that TfL use it as a real opportunity to make meaningful changes so that individuals are safe on the transport network.”
TfL has until June 16 to respond to the inquest’s findings. TfL’s chief operating officer, Claire Mann, said: “We are supporting the coroner in relation to the inquest into this incident and we have carried out our own internal investigation, which we have shared with the coroner.
“We recognise the important role our staff play in protecting customers from harm and we will always take action to learn from incidents and improve operational safety.”
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