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Rail Safety

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the signals passed at danger at least three times by trains stating the number of times this has occurred; what action has been taken at each signal to prevent these signals being passed at danger; and what has been the annual cost of this action in the last six years. [12265]

Mr. Jamieson: The information is as follows:

(a) A full list showing signals passed three times or more has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

(b) Actions

The fitment programme for the Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) will be completed by the end of 2003. The rail industry has initiated a "SPADRAM" (Signals Passed at Danger Reduction and Mitigation)

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programme which covers a wide range of issues, eg signal sighting, human factors, driver training. Within this programme some of the specific actions include:


(c) Cost

It is not possible to separate out SPAD mitigation costs from other expenditure.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the Health and Safety Commission's working group looking at risks associated with road rail interface will publish its findings. [21196]

Mr. Jamieson: The Health and Safety Commission hope that its report and recommendations will be available in the first quarter of 2002.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent steps Railtrack has taken to ensure that a supervisor is employed on a continual basis in all signal (a) boxes and (b) centres to manage the operation of workstations. [21124]

Mr. Jamieson: This is an operational matter for Railtrack.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions he has had with the Health and Safety Executive on the (a) benefits and (b) outcomes that have resulted from the monthly publications of reports on SPADS. [21030]

Mr. Jamieson: Publication of the Health and Safety Executive's monthly reports on signals passed at danger (SPADs) on the Railtrack network, copies of which are placed in the Library of the House, has put the information into the public domain, provided detailed comparisons by train operating company and outlined the action being taken by the industry to reduce the incidence of SPADs.

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what steps have been taken by Railtrack to introduce a system for the central tracking of those recommendations within Part 1 of the Ladbroke Grove Rail Inquiry report directly made to Railtrack; and whether this has been extended in those cases where recommendations are directed to (a) train operating companies and (b) others; [21064]

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Mr. Jamieson: Lord Cullen made recommendations on this issue in Part 1 of his Ladbroke Grove Rail Inquiry report. The Health and Safety Commission is reviewing the industry's compliance with all the recommendations and will publish a report in the spring. I will ensure that a copy is placed in the House Library.


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