A seven-year-old boy was left chasing a moving train at Newport Station while his terrified parents and other passengers in the carriage tried to desperately alert the driver, who failed to stop, according to the child’s family.
Andy Ashton said he and his partner Gen, two young children and their friend were getting on a train at Newport on Friday afternoon when the doors closed on them – three times.
The first as the parents were getting on board, then the family had to pry open the door as it began to crush one of the children’s bikes.
Moments later, the doors closed again – this time leaving their seven-year-old son on the platform, alone.
“The train then began leaving the station with our son, screaming and terrified, sprinting alongside the train trying to open the doors,” Mr Ashton said.
“My wife was yelling at him to stop following the train and wait for us; the entire carriage was on its feet trying to open the doors but the train continued on.”
ANDY ASHTON AND HIS FAMILY WERE LEFT TRAUMATISED. PICTURE: SUPPLIED
Desperate to stop the train, passengers began to press all the emergency intercom buttons, but to no avail.
Mr Ashton said he then yanked down the manual-overide door lever but there was no response from the intercom and the train continued on its way to the next station.
“Eventually I managed to open the doors a fraction,” he said.
“This seemed to alert the driver to the situation as they came over the intercom and told us to alight at the next station and take the next train back.”
Mr Ashton said he then called triple zero, and the police sent a car to the station.
A spokesperson said Metro had been in contact with the family and was undertaking an investigation, including viewing CCTV footage.
“We encourage customers who may take longer to board to travel towards the front of the train where the driver can clearly see them. This is particularly important at stations where there is a curve in the platform such as Newport,” the spokesperson said.
Mr Ashton said he and his family had alighted at the next station – Spotswood – and rode back to Newport to be reunited with their son.
He said none of the emergency procedures on the train were satisfactory.
“How can the train go with a child running along the [platform]? He wearing a high visibility vest [and] screaming,” Mr Ashton said.
“I had no idea how they can shut doors on anyone, let alone on a child.”
Formal complaint
Mr Ashton said he had made a formal complaint to Metro, but was initially told that they’d only be able to get back to him within three working days, which was not until March 31st due to public holidays. He had since heard from Metro representatives.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate they should be investigating their own negligence – we want to make sure they’re investigated properly,” he said.
“We want either the driver to be fully investigated and/or the protocols of leaving the station and the inept emergency options on the train itself to be investigated and rectified.”
He praised his son who went with the station master and waited in the office. But the boy was too traumatised to take the train back home.
“He burst into tears when we arrived,” Mr Ashton said.
“He wouldn’t get onto the train to get home after the event, and we were forced to ride our bike the 15 kilometres from Spotswood to Brunswick instead.”
Mr Ashton said he didn’t want another family to go through the traumatic experience.
“It blows our mind that a sprinting, terrified child would not be noticed – or worse still, ignored – while a driver leaves a station,” he said.
“This is just completely unacceptable and is a parent’s worse nightmare.
“It could have been much worse. He could have fallen underneath the train.”
The Metro spokesperson acknowledge the distress caused.
“Any separation of a child from parents is extremely stressful and we applaud the quick response of our station staff who reassured the boy and stayed with him for the minutes before he was reunited with his father,” the spokesperson said.
By Caroline Zielinski and Neelima Choahan, The Age
