A WOMAN passenger was dragged along a platform by a departing train after getting her wrist trapped in a door, an accident report has revealed.

She was forced to move with the train, operated by First TransPennine Express (FTPE) from Newcastle to avoid being pulled off her feet, the report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said.

The conductor did not see the trapped passenger on the curved-shaped platform because he did not do a final safety check before dispatching the train, the report said.

The train reached a speed of around 5mph before stopping after travelling around 20 metres, with the woman - who had been attempting to board the train as the doors were closing - suffering severe bruising to her wrist.

The incident happened at Newcastle Central Station at 5.02pm on June 5 last year.

The RAIB said the doors of the train were, in certain circumstances, able to trap a wrist and lock without the door obstruction sensing system detecting it.

Once the doors were detected as locked, the train was able to move.

In 2004, although the parties involved in the train's design and its approval for service were aware of this hazard, the risk associated with it was not formally documented or assessed, the report said.

The RAIB made six safety recommendations.

In a statement, First TransPennine Express said: "We note and welcome the findings of the RAIB report into the incident involving a customer becoming trapped in the exterior doors on one of our services last year.

"First TransPennine Express has fully complied with RAIB in its investigation. We operate industry accepted dispatch processes that are regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with safety regulations and RAIB have noted such in their report. They have also noted that our trains and the doors mechanisms are also compliant with current guidelines and standards.

"RAIB has also recognised that we have acted in an appropriate manner in relation to the human error that occurred during the incident.

"Incidents like this are extremely rare and we have a very good safety record since our franchise began in 2004. We recognise that the recommendations in the report provide opportunities for ourselves and industry partners to improve the safety on the railway and will be implementing those aspects that apply to us as soon as possible."