THE RAIL Safety and Standards Board has instigated a £50,000 scientific research project to investigate the risks of deep vein thrombosis to rail passengers travelling in crowded conditions.

DVT – a potentially fatal condition that has killed dozens of long-haul airline passengers travelling in cramped conditions is thought to affect about one in 2,000 people in the UK each year. It occurs when a blood clot forms in one of the deep veins in the calf that carry blood back to the heart and from which a piece can break off causing a fatal blockage in a vein in the lung.

Although no cases of DVT among rail passengers have yet been reported, the RSSB describes the research project as a precautionary measure so that ‘any risk can be actively managed rather than leave the industry open to criticism, risking reputational damage’.