Assessment of rail safety systems

989

11 October 1999

The Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott announced today that he had agreed with Sir David Davies the Terms of Reference for Sir David's assessment of rail safety systems.

The full Terms of Reference are:

To assess the different available systems of train protection that  could be used on the national heavy rail network and advise, in particular, on their effectiveness, practicability and cost.

To assess the rail industry's response to the increase in the number of signals passed at danger on the national heavy rail network, which was highlighted in the HSE's report of 2 September 1999, including the industry's actions to implement that report's findings; and to advise on further ways of reducing the number of signals passed at danger.

To report back to the Deputy Prime Minister by the end of December 1999, with initial advice if the full assessments are not complete by then.

This report, and any subsequent reports, are to be published and made available to Professor John Uff so that he can take account of them in the recommendations arising from his Public Inquiry into the Southall rail crash.

On 6 October the Deputy Prime Minister announced that Sir David Davies would undertake an urgent independent assessment of train protection systems and ways of reducing the number of signals which are passed at danger. See DETR press release number 973. [dated 6 October]