LNER tells train passengers to check before travelling

The York-based rail firm, which runs the East Coast Main Line, said all services were stopped in Retford, Nottinghamshire, on Thursday evening after a vulnerable man was found on top of a railway bridge over a river.

Police brought the incident to a safe conclusion at around 3.20am on Friday morning. British Transport Police said the man was arrested on suspicion of obstructing the railway and taken into police custody where he remained late Friday morning.

An LNER spokesperson said the incident resulted in “severe disruption” on Thursday evening and meant trains and crews were out of position when starting on Friday.

They said that services are expected to be “very busy” on Friday and passengers are “strongly advised to check their journey before travelling”.

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David Horne, LNER’s managing director, offered his “profound apologies to all those whose journeys have been affected”, adding: “We are aware that people were waiting at stations and onboard our trains for a long time, and we know that our customers will have been travelling for important reasons.

“I want to reassure everyone that our teams, both on the ground and behind the scenes, were working hard to get people moving towards their destinations as quickly as possible. However, due to the sensitivity of the incident and with the safety of everyone involved being paramount, we could only run our services through the affected area when British Transport Police determined it was safe to do so.

“We thank our customers for their patience and understanding while teams responded to the sensitive situation.”

LNER said its customers with tickets dated April 16 or April 17 can use their existing tickets on any LNER service to their destination up to, and including, Monday, April 20.

The company said it is recommended that passengers make a new seat reservation, for free, via the LNER app, website, or at its travel centres.