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Debate on Raising the Pension Age 10/03/2010

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The Care Debate 10/03/2010

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Station Safety discussed in Parliament 10/03/2010

Iain Duncan-Smith (Con, Chingford and Wood Green) opened a Westminster Hall debate yesterday on railway station safety.

Speaking about the death of Simon Slade, 33, who died after he fell between a train and the platform at Gidea Park station near Romford in 2007, Duncan-Smith criticised the lack of rules by firms which he believes could have prevented the death. 

Duncan-Smith called for a "consistent framework of rules" which would see platform dispatchers forced to wait to watch a train leave the station. 

And he also called for better warnings for passengers about the gap between the train and the platform at stations.

He said "the organisations concerned should learn the lessons from this tragic accident...and not prevaricate and hide behind a set of ludicrous rules that are almost non-existent."

He added that it was not true that placing a requirement on train dispatchers to watch the train leave the station was beyond the remit of train operators adding that “the problem is that the behaviour of train dispatchers is inconsistent; some take great care of their passengers, while others do not”.

“In the absence of enforceable rules, passengers enter a safety lottery at railway stations. There is no way that they can be held to account for any one type of behaviour”, Duncan-Smith added.

Duncan-Smith went on to say “Given that 80 per cent of passenger accident risk occurs on the platform, according to the figures of the Rail Safety and Standards Board, why is no risk assessment carried out on the danger created by the gap between the platform and the train.”

Duncan-Smith praised London Underground who told passengers to stand clear of incoming trains, even though they did not have rules forcing them to do so.

He questioned why there are not more announcements like that on Network Rail.

“Given that London Underground and Network Rail are regulated for safety purposes by the same body, the Office of Rail Regulation, and that the ORR’s “Railway Safety Principles and Guidance” does not say anything substantive about such announcements”, he argued.

He said:

"It seems that the greater care taken of passengers on the London Underground happens regardless of any rules or guidance. They have decided that it is common sense to do this. If they are doing this because it is common sense, why is it not necessarily common sense to do it elsewhere?"

Transport Minister Chris Mole highlighted recent improvements in the introduction of new train protection systems, new rolling stock and better management of the infrastructure.

“The independent rail safety regulator, the Office of Rail Regulation, has acknowledged a steady improvement in railway safety standards, and the UK’s record is comparable to that of other western European countries”, he added.

He explained that:

“We must not forget that the gaps have a safety function. Although the minimal gaps that we find on modern tram systems would be ideal, a gap is necessary on the national rail network to ensure that trains do not strike the platform, particularly when passing through at speed or, like freight trains, they are of larger dimensions. To an extent, that answers the right hon. Gentleman's question about the different practices of London Underground and the heavy rail network. It is true to observe that London Underground has train dispatchers, but they are present only at busy times and at busy stations. Those circumstances are not universal on the London underground, and it would not necessarily be appropriate for them to be so.”

Mole added:

“I assure the House that the ORR, the independent health and safety regulator of the railways, continues to monitor the safety aspects of train dispatch”.

He also stated that the ORR, through its rail safety directorate, considers the relevant train operating company’s safety certificate and authorisation applications as they relate to train despatch.

Mole concluded the debate by stating:

“Industry standards and guidance recommend maximum clearances between platforms and footplates on passenger trains, and those are applied by Network Rail when building new platforms or making significant changes to existing ones. As my fellow Minister noted last year, not every gap at every station currently meets those standards, due to tight curves or historically low platforms that remain at stations with low usage. Where the gap is severe, operators may take independent action to mitigate the problem-for example, by making warning announcements of the sort mentioned by the right hon. Gentleman or by marking the edge of the platform. If such action has not been taken but is considered necessary by the ORR, its inspectors can insist that mitigation measures are taken; it can also require substantial physical improvements to be made if necessary.”

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