UPDATE: Rugby World Cup transport plan to be reviewed after man hit by train at Twickenham station

Rugby fans face travel chaos tonight after Twickenham station was evacuated after a man was hit by a train.

Trains towards London Waterloo were at a standstill after an accident involving a passenger on the line shut down the line for over an hour, leaving thousands stranded.

The line has now reopened and severe delays are expected for the rest of the night.

Police confirmed a man fell from a platform and was hit by an oncoming train, suffering non-fatal head and leg injuries.

London Ambulance Service were called at 11.03pm and arrived three minutes later to treat the man's injuries, before taking him to St George's Hospital major trauma centre as a priority.

Emergency Planner, Will Kearns, who was at the scene, said: "It was a good rapid response and my thanks go to ambulance crews who worked well with colleagues from London Fire Brigade, Network Rail and British Transport Police in difficult circumstances."

Below: Rugby World Cup fans kept from platforms at Richmond station after man hit by train in Twickenham (credit: Will Kelleher)

Richmond and Twickenham Times:

 

A spokesman for British Transport Police said: "At 11pm on Friday, September 18, we were called to Twickenham rail station following reports of a person on the tracks.

"Officers attended, alongside colleagues from London Ambulance Service, and discovered a man had fallen from platform three at the station and had landed on the tracks in front of an oncoming train.

"The man was struck by the train, which was slowing down to come into the station, and suffered head and leg injuries as a result of the incident.

"He was removed from the tracks shortly after 11.20pm and is currently being treated by paramedics.

"At this stage it is unclear exactly how the man came to fall onto the tracks and officers are working to determine the full circumstances."

Platform-level improvements to the stadium were carried out prior to the tournament, after Richmond Council leader Lord True described the station as "struggling to cope at maximum capacity".

In January 2014, he said: "There is no one in Twickenham who does not think the current station is an utter disgrace to our town and hugely inadequate – struggling to cope at maximum capacity."

 

 

 

MORE RICHMOND & TWICKENHAM STORIES »

Did you see what happened? Email the newsdesk on tom.ambrose@london.newsquest.co.uk.