Stratford tube jump: police investigate viral video

Transport for London (TfL) have condemned the “extremely reckless” behaviour of a young man who leapt across tube platforms in front of a moving train in an apparent bid for online notoriety.

In a video uploaded to Instagram in late November, which has since gone viral, an unnamed youth is seen taking a running jump across the tracks at Stratford tube station in east London, avoiding an arriving Central line train by milliseconds.

TfL director of enforcement Steve Burton said: “This behaviour is extremely reckless and will not be tolerated.”

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Stunts such as the one portrayed in the video “not only pose a risk to his personal safety, but also the safety of the driver and passengers” he added, saying that TfL is working with the British Transport Police (BTP) to ensure “appropriate action” is taken.

A BTP spokesman told the London Evening Standard: “Every day our officers face tragedy on the railway, it is impossible to understand why this man put himself in such danger.”

Other videos on the account include “pranks” such as pouring laundry conditioner over a supermarket floor to create a “slip and slide”, suggesting that internet fame was the end goal of the reckless leap.

However, Instagram users were as unimpressed with the stunt as TfL officials and police, although their condemnations was slightly less formal.

“What a donut,” one commented on the post. “Seriously, im [sic] not impressed, nor would your mother be.”