A MAN has been left with "life-changing" injuries after he fell against a moving train.
An ambulance was called to Dumbarton East railway station on Saturday night after the 43-year-old stumbled off the platform as a train was moving away at 10.17pm.
He suffered serious injuries to his arm and is understood to have undergone surgery. He remains in hospital.
A spokesman for British Transport Police said there were no suspicious circumstances, but an investigation is underway and CCTV is being reviewed.
A ScotRail memo on the incident states: "2217 hours – Male fell between platform and moving train at Dumbarton East. Conveyed to hospital. Injuries life changing but not life threatening at time of writing. Currently in surgery."
The incident was highlighted by RMT as part of its campaign against driver-only train operations, which the trade union believes is unsafe.
It is understood that the injured man was struck by a driver-only train - meaning there was no guard on duty. The station is also said to have been unstaffed at the time.
An ongoing investigation by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) will examine whether train or railway staff would have been able to prevent the incident, as well as the activity of the passenger. The man is understood to have been behaving aggressively as the train pulled away.
RMT General Secretary, Mick Cash said: “This was a shocking incident at Dumbarton East on Saturday night and joins the catalogue of safety failures on our trains that reinforce the union campaign to retain guards on our railways.
"It shows once again that not only is DOO a permanent safety risk but that it also puts our drivers in an impossible situation.
“RMT awaits the outcome of the full investigation into the incident that is now underway but we want clear and immediate assurances from Scotrail on the safety of their trains – assurances that we believe can only be meaningful if they include a rolling back of Driver Only Operation.”
RMT is currently balloting its members on industrial action to protest against moves to extend driver-only and driver-controlled operations on ScotRail services, because it does not want to see drivers "distracted" by additional duties such as operating the doors.
The union is seeking a guarantee that the "safety critical" role of train guards - also known as conductors - will not be reduced during the Abellio ScotRail franchise term.
A spokeswoman for ScotRail said: “The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is currently undertaking an enquiry into this incident, and we are co-operating fully – including supplying CCTV footage from Dumbarton East station."
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