Railways: Safety

(asked on 10th March 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Report 02/2022 - Derailment of a passenger train at Carmont published by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch on 10 March 2022, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of Network Rail in ensuring (a) passenger safety and (b) that trains are built and maintained to current regulations; and what plans he has to take steps to assist Network Rail in ensuring all recommendations of that Report are implemented.


Answered by
Wendy Morton Portrait
Wendy Morton
This question was answered on 16th March 2022

The derailment at Stonehaven was a tragedy and I am determined that lessons are learned from this accident. I welcome the report and its findings and expect the rail industry to ensure that the recommendations are fully implemented.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR), as the independent, specialist safety regulator for the railway, is responsible for regulating safety on the railways, including in relation to passenger safety and rolling stock safety. It is leading work with the rail industry, including Network Rail, train operators, owners and health and safety representatives, to discharge its statutory responsibility to ensure that the report’s recommendations are addressed and all necessary improvements are delivered. The ORR has the powers and expertise needed to do this and I fully support the action being taken by the ORR.

Network Rail is already taking action to address the recommendations in the report, including work to improve its management of drainage infrastructure. I have received specific assurance that it is taking all necessary steps and that it will find all opportunities to accelerate this work. I will be kept up to date as this important work progresses.

Reticulating Splines