London Underground, UK
#00153
PartialCity
Case study of
#00154 Build drainage/gap pits under platform tracks to reduce attempt lethality
Implementer
London Underground
Location
London Underground, UK51.5074, -0.1278
Description
Drainage pits recessed into the trackbed beneath London Underground platforms give a person on the track survivable space beneath a passing train. Where present, they roughly halved the fatality of attempts — but by design they reduce lethality rather than deter attempts, so they lower deaths without lowering the number of people entering the track.
Metrics
1Mortality of attempts with drainage pit66% (no pit)45%% fatal
Lessons learned
- Trackbed pits cut fatality substantially but do not deter attempts.
- Best used as a complementary lethality-reduction layer alongside barriers, not as primary prevention.
Documented Jul 13, 2026