01.09.06
Railway Safety Annual Report 2005 reveals level crossings big killer
Safety performance on Britain's railways is continuing to improve, the Office of Rail Regulation's (ORR) chief inspector of railways, Linda Williams, has said.
ORR Annual Report on Railway Safety 2005 is the first report on the safety record of Britain's railways to be published by ORR since the merger with HSE Rail on 1 April 2006, although it covers a period when Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) was still under the governance of the Health and Safety Commission and Executive (HSC/E). This is the first time that the report has covered a complete calendar year, rather than financial year.
The annual report provides statistics on key performance indicators reflecting the rail safety performance in the UK and covers the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2005, in accordance with the European regulations and in line with the European Rail Agency.
The report reveals that there were no passenger fatalities in train incidents, compared to five in 2004; six staff fatalities, down from ten in 2004; and ten passenger fatalities from all causes, reduced from thirteen in the previous year. Sixteen people were killed on level crossings, including one miniature train driver, four drivers of road vehicles, two cyclists and nine pedestrians. In 2004 this totaled seventeen. 339 signals were passed at danger last year, compared to 357 in 2004. There were 27 train incidents on levels crossings: two less than 2004; and 452 train incidents caused by vandalism, compared to 642 in 2004.
Commenting on the report, Linda Williams said, “I am pleased to report there were no major train incidents involving multiple injuries or fatalities. Regrettably there were 33 fatalities during the period covered by this report, including six worker fatalities and ten passenger deaths.
“The other fatalities were accounted for by 9 pedestrians, 4 road vehicle drivers, and two cyclists, all killed at level crossings, and one person killed by a tram.
“These figures indicate why we cannot afford to become complacent and must continue to work with the railway industry to manage the risks to workers, passengers and members of the public.
“Additionally, we must not forget those who died or were injured in the bombings in London on 7 July. Although not directly involved, HMRI provided advice and assistance to London Underground.”
While the number of incidents due to vandalism continues to fall, vandalism still accounts for almost half of all reportable incidents. The potential for serious consequences arising from obstructions on the track, arson and missiles thrown at trains remains a major cause for concern.
Level crossings continue to have the greatest potential for catastrophic risk on Britain's railways and high profile incidents such as the deaths of two teenage girls (aged 13 and 14) at Elsenham station have raised the public awareness of the risks posed by level crossings.
Research has been commissioned to better understand and seek solutions to risks at level crossings. Network Rail has continued its work to reduce level crossing risk, including eliminating some crossings and upgrading others.
Network Rail has embarked on a £3 million campaign aimed at influencing the behaviour of level crossing users, the single largest cause of incidents at level crossings.
NI Railways has launched a major province-wide awareness campaign, ‘Don’t Cross the Line’, in a bid to reduce the number of potentially life threatening incidents on our railway lines.
Part of Translink’s wider ‘Dead Cert’ rail safety drive, the move specifically to target level crossing users comes in response to increasing incidents of public misuse locally and follows findings by the UK-wide Railway Inspectorate that misuse of crossings by road users is now the single biggest threat to rail safety.
A £4 million programme, which is now nearing completion, has seen the installation of state of the art Train Protection Warning Systems (TPWS) on all trains to eliminate driver error at high risk signals. Barrier systems have been upgraded, warning lights introduced and CCTV installed.
“Significant investment continues to be made in the local rail network to enhance and upgrade services and facilities and always with maximising public safety at the forefront,” said Mal McGreevy, Translink’s general manager rail services.
Despite vast amounts of investment, the greatest threat to rail safety still remains: the public. In the last year 32 incidents of level crossing misuse were reported in Northern Ireland, including motorists driving through closed crossings with high speed trains just moments away. McGreevy added, “With trains travelling at 70mph involved, these people really are taking their own lives and the lives of countless others in their hands.
“The ‘Don’t Cross the Line’ campaign urges the public to stop taking risks at level crossings and to put their safety and that of the wider public first and foremost every single time.”
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