Councillor: put anti-suicide phones at Ealing Broadway station

Ealing Broadway station accounts for 20% of suicides in Ealing
Cuddly Little Owl/Flickr
Michael Clarke20 January 2016

A politician is calling for phones to be installed at Ealing Broadway station with a direct line to the Samaritans after a spate of suicides.

Ealing councillor Alex Stafford wants to introduce the free-to-use phones to prevent further deaths at the station.

Last year there were four deaths at the west London station, 20% of all suicides in Ealing.

Cllr Stafford, who proposed the new idea, said: "I think this will be a very good idea. Unfortunately this seems to be a big problem at the station. Not only are these incidents tragic for the person and the family involved, it is also terrible for drivers and fellow passengers."

Direct access phones have been successfully used to reduce suicide rates in America, including at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, where the introduction of a helpline helped the number of suicides fall by a quarter.

The Conservative Ealing councillor said: “It makes it that little bit easier to talk to someone. If only one person a year is saved by the phone line, it will be worth it.”

His concerns have been voiced in a letter to Ruth Sutherland, Chief Executive of the Samaritans.

In the letter the councillor said: “Following several tragic suicides at Ealing Broadway Station last year, as the local councillor I have launched a campaign to install suicide prevention phones at the station.

"I am asking for the Samaritans to install these direct access free-to-use phones, which could reduce injuries and fatalities at the station.”

The local councillor has also written to Mark Hopwood, Managing Director of Great Western Railway and Mark Carne, Chief Executive of Network Rail to ask them to look into the matter.

The Samaritans said they were against the plan and would be writing to Mr Stafford to explain their position.

For confidential support on mental health call the Samaritans on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or attend a local Samaritans branch.

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