Case study: courier safety at depot
30 January 2025
Signage and gate improved for safety of courier drivers entering rail depot.
Courier drivers deliver to the Stadler Rail building at Canton depot’s Swansea end. Someone told us they were concerned about them entering a railway depot without understanding the risks, such as travelling across frequently used tracks.
Couriers pass safety signs on security gates before entering.These often aren’t visible with the gates open. The security team greets couriers and advises where to go. However, the reporter believes couriers don’t receive appropriate information about depot risks and procedures to stay safe.
Transport for Wales’ (TfW) depot management reviewed the goods-in delivery area. They identified that all road vehicle signs were TfW-branded, except for a sign for maintenance partner Stadler on a temporary building seen from the maintenance stores’ goods-in location. This could be why couriers were going there. They removed the sign and erected a joint Stadler/TfW sign indicating the goods-in route.
The team also saw the gate was often left open when the stores team collected deliveries. The gate has since been modified with an extra hinge. The signs are now always visible but a section can be opened enough for safe forklift truck operation.
Couriers and non-authorised people shouldn’t be in the position reported. The changes make the signs clearer, and any reoccurrence would be deliberate. The depot’s 24-hour security ensures only authorised people enter. TfW added that the train movements noted are under the safe control of a depot operations team shunter, who takes due care and is vigilant.