This content is provided by Exco Player and may use cookies or similar technologies. Please click 'Allow and Continue' below to load the content.
Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis
I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.
This is the moment a passenger rushing to catch a train slips and falls into the gap between the platform and the train door.
CCTV footage appears to show a young man rushing to board a train at Hitchin Station. As he realises the doors are about to close, he jumps towards the carriage from the platform but loses his footing, leaving his leg trapped in the gap between the platform edge and the train.
Thankfully, he was able to pull his foot free before the train departed and the video shows he was escorted away from the area by two members of station staff.
The incident is one of a growing number of cases involving passengers rushing to board trains, with many putting themselves at risk of serious injury, particularly when carrying heavy luggage.
Train operator Greater Thameslink Railway (GTR), which runs Gatwick Express services, has reported a sharp rise in injuries caused by passengers falling while attempting to board trains.
With the summer holiday season now in full swing, GTR is urging passengers travelling to London Gatwick Airport and other major destinations to take extra care and allow plenty of time for their journeys.
The operator said there have been 93 reported incidents so far this year involving people falling while trying to board a train — a 43% increase compared with the same period in 2025.
However, GTR said overall slips, trips and falls across its network have fallen by 5% year-on-year following the launch of its ‘Travel Safe with Diane Morgan’ campaign earlier this year.
The warning comes as both Gatwick and Luton airports prepare for some of their busiest periods of the year, with thousands of passengers expected to travel by rail during the summer peak.
Gatwick Airport has identified August 2, 9 and 16 as some of its busiest days, with around 900 flights scheduled on peak dates.
Meanwhile, Luton Airport expects between 68,000 and 68,500 passengers on August 9 and 16, with around 360 flights planned on each of those days.
GTR is reminding passengers to avoid rushing for trains, keep their hands free where possible, and take extra care when travelling with luggage during the busy summer period.