STATION staff can save lives if they are trained to support passengers at risk of suicide, rail union RMT’s AGM heard today.

Delegates unanimously backed a call for a programme run by the Samaritans in partnership with Network Rail and London Underground to be expanded across Britain’s network.

The course trains staff in spotting passengers who are at risk, and talking them out of jumping in front of trains.

Moving the motion, Deptford delegate Kim O’Shaughnessy said it is crucial that workers are trained to support those in need.

Neasden delegate Cat Cray said: “It can give us the opportunity to intervene when somebody is having a mental-health crisis.”

Plymouth delegate Zack Rosen said the training “really opened my eyes,” while Essex delegate Christine Willett said the programme had transformed “a station which was virtually top of the league for suicides.”

But she warned: “No matter what training they give us, the real difference is staffing our stations.”

Her comments were echoed by Newcastle delegate David King, who said: “It’s all very well having these signs at the end of the platform, we’ve got blue lights or massive big fences.

“The best suicide prevention you can have on stations is a member of staff.”

Since the programme was launched in 2010, rail workers, police officers and passengers have intervened in more than 2,500 suicide attempts on Britain’s railways.

Since November, the rail industry and the Samaritans have been encouraging travelling bystanders to intervene through the Small Talk Saves Lives campaign.

This programme promotes “life-saving questions” that can be used to open conversations, ranging from “Do you need help?” to more general starters such as “What train are you going to get?”

Glasgow delegate Esther Burns told the AGM she had encountered a passenger who “wanted to end her life, and because I’d had this training I was able to talk to her — and I was able to save her life.”

The resolution also called for “better support for staff post-incident and more available staff” to ease pressure on workers attempting to prevent suicide while also having to concentrate on essential operational tasks.

The Samaritans can be reached on 116 123, and the website is samaritans.org.