Station safety

We want your journey with us to be a safe one. Here are a few tips that will help you when you travel.

Using escalators

• Never take luggage trolleys, prams, bikes or dogs on the escalators. Pushchairs should be folded and carried. Where available, station lifts should be used to carry these items, as well as any heavy luggage.
• Keep to the right, facing forward and keep your hand on top of the handrail. Do not touch the sides of the escalator below the handrail. Keep your feet away from the sides.
• Do not run on the escalators and take care when stepping on and off them.
• Always carry small children or hold them by the hand.

On the platform

• Make sure you and any children in your care stand well back from the platform edge.
• Not all trains may stop at your platform – trains running through can cause turbulence, so keep hold of children, pushchairs and other belongings.
• Never attempt to retrieve articles dropped onto the railway line or between the platform and train. Advise a member of staff or use the help points.
• If you have any concerns regarding your safety during any part of your journey, please contact a member of staff or use the help points.

Getting on and off the train

• Get to your platform in plenty of time before your train is due to depart.
• Be ready to board and alight from your train in plenty of time (do not board the train if you are not travelling).
• A door-closing alarm sounds when the doors are about to close (a high-pitched beeping noise). Do not attempt to board or alight whilst this alarm is sounding.
• Let passengers off before you board.
• Some stations have platforms shorter than the trains stopping at them. You will be told about this in advance so you can be in the right section of the train when it arrives.
• Mind the gap – platform heights can vary from station to station.

When you’re on the train

• ScotRail operate a smoke-free policy on all of our trains.
• Store luggage securely – either in the overhead shelf or in the racks situated at the end of coaches.
• Do not store oversize / heavy luggage in the overhead shelf. Such items could fall during the journey, causing injury to you or other passengers.
• Do not leave luggage in the aisle.
• Do not stand near the train doors. You could cause an obstruction, or an accident when the doors open or close.
• Familiarise yourself with safety notices.
• Take care when making your way through the train when it is in motion – unexpected train movements can affect your balance.
• Take care with hot drinks.

Keeping your children safe

• Parents with young children should fold pushchairs to avoid accidents on escalators and stairs, using lifts where available.
• Help children on and off trains.
• Take care with prams and pushchairs on trains when boarding and alighting.
• Do not let your children run around in stations or in trains as they could injure themselves or others.
• Where possible, hold young children by the hand, particularly when on stairs and escalators.
• On sleeper services, children should sleep in the bottom bunk.
• Warn your children about the dangers of railway lines.

At the station

• Give yourself plenty of time for your journey. Do not run, especially on stairs and escalators, as you could injure yourself or other passengers.
• Be particularly careful in periods of wet/cold weather – platforms and concourses can be slippery when wet. Take extra care on stairs and escalators.
• Use hand rails where provided.
• Do not leave luggage lying unattended or where people can trip over it. Unattended luggage will prompt a security alert and can cause delays.
• Never use the track as a shortcut. Always use footbridges or other official routes provided.
• To assist you on your journey at main line stations there are indicator boards or monitors, and at other stations timetables and notices will provide you with information. Listen out for announcements. At staffed stations members of staff will be happy to help.
• Do not cycle, skateboard or rollerblade in stations or on railway property.

We are working with the British Transport Police to improve security at stations and on trains, including investment in CCTV cameras. You can help to improve safety by immediately reporting any incidents or unaccompanied baggage/suspicious packages to a member of staff, or to the British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40.