Blind Student Awarded £18,000 After Falling Onto Train Tracks at Manchester Piccadilly
A visually impaired student has been awarded £18,000 in compensation after a terrifying incident at Manchester Piccadilly station where he fell onto train tracks following a failure of assistance services. Abdul Eneser, a 23-year-old masters law student at the University of Strathclyde, suffered injuries and ongoing anxiety after the May 2022 incident.
Failed Assistance and Dangerous Consequences
Mr Eneser had pre-booked the Passenger Assist service for his journey but arrived at Manchester Piccadilly on a later service than planned after missing a connection at Preston due to delays. Despite Avanti West Coast staff at Preston assuring him they would radio ahead to Manchester Piccadilly, when he arrived after midnight, no assistance staff were present to meet him.
He was subsequently informed that all Passenger Assist staff had already gone home for the night. Left to navigate the station alone, Mr Eneser attempted to find the steps to exit but tragically fell onto the railway tracks.
Narrow Escape and Legal Action
In what his legal representatives describe as a miraculous escape, Mr Eneser managed to pull himself back onto the platform just one minute before a non-stop freight train passed through on the same tracks. The law firm Leigh Day initiated court proceedings against Network Rail under both the 2010 Equality Act and the Occupiers Liability Act 1957.
The case centered on Network Rail's failure to install tactile paving at the station - a crucial safety feature that uses raised studs to warn blind and visually impaired people of platform edges and other hazards. While Network Rail did not admit liability, they agreed to pay compensation to Mr Eneser, understood to be £18,000.
Broader Accessibility Concerns Raised
Mr Eneser emphasized that his case extends beyond personal compensation, stating: "Poor accessibility in rail travel is not just a one-off issue. This is something that prevents myself and others with visual impairments from travelling with confidence." He described how uncertainty about proper support makes travel stressful and potentially dangerous.
Kate Egerton, senior associate solicitor at Leigh Day, commented: "Network Rail and train operators have a clear obligation to ensure that train stations are accessible for all. Not only is it distressing for passengers with visual impairments to try to navigate inaccessible platforms and services, it is also extremely dangerous."
Industry Response and Wider Context
A Network Rail spokesperson expressed regret about the incident: "We are extremely sorry for the experience Abdul Eneser suffered at Manchester Piccadilly. We let him down and have offered him our full and unreserved apology." They acknowledged much work remains to improve railway accessibility and stated they are collaborating with industry partners to implement improvements.
This case follows the tragic death of blind charity worker Cleveland Gervais, 53, who fell from a platform at Eden Park station in Beckenham in February 2020 and was struck by a train. That station lacked tactile paving at the time. The Department for Transport announced in July last year that the rollout of tactile paving across all British railway stations had been completed.
The settlement highlights ongoing concerns about accessibility across the rail network and the critical importance of proper assistance services and safety features for visually impaired passengers.
