Survivors of a train crash near Bedford that claimed the life of a driver are calling for a safety system to be installed that they say could have averted disaster - after Network Rail opted not to install it following a safety review.
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Rail → claim → review
East Midlands Railway (EMR) driver Shaun Burton, 60, was killed after his Class 360 Luton Express ploughed into the back of a Class 810 high-speed train at 50mph on June 19 south of Bedford station, injuring 160 people, 11 very seriously.
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Express → kill → people
An interim report published today by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) found Mr Burton passed through a red signal at 58mph as he joined the same line as the train in front, which had come to an unplanned stop due to a safety system fault.
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which → publish → fault
Mr Burton had been alerted to the red signal by a cabin alarm from the train's Automatic Warning System (AWS) - but he silenced it and continued accelerating up to 76mph.
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he → alert → mph
He applied the brakes 10 seconds before the crash, 850ft away from the other train.
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He → apply → train
While AWS can alert a driver to danger up ahead, it cannot force a train to stop.
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it → alert → train
Solicitors acting for some of the 257 people on board both trains today said the crash could have been averted had TPWS been installed on the line.
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TPWS → act → line
Rolled out following fatal rail accidents including the 1997 Southall crash and the 1999 Paddington disaster, it requires additional equipment to be installed on the track.
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equipment → roll → track
Estimates put the 'cost per life saved' at millions of pounds.
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Estimates → put → pounds
At present, Network Rail only installs it in 'high risk' areas, such as near converging railway lines - despite an inquiry recommending a full roll-out on high-speed lines like those at Bedford.
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Rail → install → Bedford
The scene of the Bedford train crash in June in which injured 160 people and killed train driver Shaun Burton
Train driver Mr Burton, 60, was killed in the crash.
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scene → injure → crash
An interim report has found he accelerated through a red signal in the moments before he suffered fatal injuries
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he → find → injuries
And as the Daily Mail reported days after the crash, Network Rail reviewed the signal at Bedford last year - and, to the anger of those hurt in the crash, decided that it did not need TPWS.
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it → report → TPWS
There had been no SPAD events at the signal since records began in 1985, and signals where 'rear-end' collisions were a possibility were given an exemption from TPWS in the regulations governing its use.
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collisions → begin → use
But Des Collins, a lawyer representing a number of the crash victims, said today: 'While we recognise there is much more to be determined, it is already clear from today's report that the fact of a SPAD was compounded by a lack of TPWS on that stretch of railway.
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fact → represent → railway
This system is specifically designed to automatically bring a train to a safe stop, which would have prevented this accident.
'
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which → design → accident
What appears troubling is Network Rail's assessment that there was no need for a TPWS in that area which they deemed as low risk.
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they → appear → risk
'Yet again, the lessons of Paddington and Southall Inquiries have failed to be implemented, to the detriment of passengers.'
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lessons → fail → passengers
Network Rail said today it could not comment on calls for TPWS on the line, citing the ongoing nature of the RAIB investigation.
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it → say → investigation
Its East Midlands route director Mark Budden said in a written statement: 'We are carefully considering these interim findings and working closely with RAIB and industry partners.
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We → say → RAIB
'Keeping passengers and colleagues safe is our top priority.
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Keeping → keep → passengers
We owe it to the driver who lost his life, to those who were injured, to everyone affected by this collision, and to the millions of people who rely on our railway every day, to understand every possible lesson from it.
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who → owe → it
'We will continue to cooperate fully with the investigation and ensure those lessons shape our future decision-making.
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lessons → continue → making
A final report on the crash is unlikely to be published until well into next year.
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report → publish → year
An investigation found the collision had shortened the combined length of both trains by as much as 10 metres
A railway engineer inspecting a TPWS grid.
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engineer → find → grid
Lawyers for the injured say this system could have averted disaster at Bedford had it been installed
The RAIB says it is yet to ascertain why Mr Burton - described as a 'devoted' train driver - silenced an alarm designed to alert him to the fact he was at a red signal and continued to accelerate until he saw the train in front.
In-cabin CCTV from his train showed him acknowledge the AWS - but could not offer any further clues as to his actions because the digital footage captured in the seconds before the collision was corrupted by the crash.
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footage → injure → crash
Questions are also still being asked about why the front train's emergency brakes were applied automatically due to a fault with its AWS equipment.
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brakes → ask → equipment
Network Rail has tested the on-track AWS safety systems and found no faults.
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Rail → test → faults
In a statement, East Midlands Railway said it could not comment on the RAIB's interim report, citing the ongoing investigation.
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it → say → investigation
It added: 'Our focus remains on supporting those affected by the incident, while continuing to work with the relevant authorities and carefully considering any recommendations identified through the investigation process.
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focus → add → process
'We will do everything we can to act on the lessons of this incident and take all appropriate steps to prevent something similar from happening again.'
Ultimate responsibility for railway policy falls to the Department for Transport.
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responsibility → do → Transport
A DfT spokesperson told the Daily Mail: 'Our deepest sympathies remain with everyone affected by this tragic incident.
'
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sympathies → tell → incident
Safety remains the absolute priority across our rail network and while incidents like this are incredibly rare, when they do occur, they are taken incredibly seriously.
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they → remain → this
'We will ensure the industry acts on any findings in the Rail Accident Investigation Branch's full report once published.'
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industry → ensure → report
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