Case study: station risk on football days
30 March 2026
Plans reviewed after slip, trip, and fall risk linked with escalator closures and crowding.
There aren't enough staff on event days to manage the risk associated with crowds on stairs. No one is at the top or bottom of the staircase monitoring this.
Network Rail High Speed (HS) said it had a football and event management plan including a one-way system to control flow. The north entrance is for entry, the eastern side for exit, and the south entrance for passengers needing assistance. A 'stop and hold' measure holds passengers on the concourse to prevent platform overcrowding.
There were two crowd control supervisors for the football day, overseeing 24 crowd control officers at strategic locations.
Before the report, Network Rail HS had reviewed its football crowd management plan and updated staff positions so those who would've been by escalators would be by the stairs. It briefed staff, contractors, and operators.
Since the CIRAS report, it has reviewed its station crowding risk assessment and identified more actions. More frequent cleaning on event days will deal with hazards such as wet surfaces promptly. More safety inspections and spot checks will take place.
A revised event day briefing reinforces crowd control officers' roles and responsibilities. New flashcards give guidance. Two extra security officers will manage crowds at pinch points.
There'll be more passenger safety announcements on event days. Posters near entrances and exits will tell passengers to expect delays.
After each event, Network Rail HS assesses what went well and identifies improvements. It has reassessed 10 reviews from the 2024/25 football season to confirm that learnings were embedded in processes. There are post-event discussions during the monthly joint working groups with Southeastern, with a new gateline procedure for event days agreed. A workshop will focus on how to capture learnings.
Wider station incident response plans have been reviewed and updated based on the report, including what happens when assets are out of service. A planned preventative maintenance programme includes escalators, but crowd management mitigates the risks when they’re out of use. The escalator is now working with no further issues.
A tabletop exercise will test the station incident response using the scenario in this report.