Station Platforms (Hansard, 5 June 2000)

§ Mr. Nicholls
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what powers the shadow Strategic Rail Authority has to make sure the distance between a railway station platform and a train is at a safe level; which railway stations in England and Wales have a gap between the platform and the train64W exceeding (a) 30 centimetre and (b) 1 metre; what plans have been submitted by Railtrack to re-gauge platform heights at railways stations across Britain; and what action (i) has been taken and (ii) is planned, to implement the proposals. [124455]

§ Mr. Hill
Responsibility for the safe maintenance of platforms and their interface with trains rests with the infrastructure controller and train operators and not with the shadow Strategic Rail Authority.
The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE's) Railway Inspectorate monitors safety on the railways and enforces safety legislation. LISE has published "Railway Safety Principles and Guidance" (RSPG) which covers the issue of platform gaps for new and altered works. Any infrastructure developed outside this guidance must be agreed with the HSE. Additionally, Railtrack publishes criteria on this subject in the form of Railway Group Standards. Compliance with these Group Standards generally ensures compliance with criteria set out in the HSE Guidance. HSE is aware that historically the stepping criteria set out in RSPG are not complied with at a number of locations. It was this knowledge which led to the HSE criteria being developed. Railtrack is implementing a programme which is intended, among other things, to address the problem of large gaps between trains and platforms at stations. Some work has already been carried out; the programme is risk-based and prioritised. HSE is monitoring progress.
HSE's records are insufficiently detailed to provide information on locations where gaps may exceed particular dimensions. Railtrack's programme is intended to identify problem locations and to develop an action plan to deal with them.

§ Mr. Nicholls
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the current limit for the gap between a train and a railway station platform; what representations his Department has received regarding the dangers of large gaps between platforms and trains; what the Government are doing to ensure that the gap between a railway station platform and the train is at a safe level; who is responsible for ensuring that the gap between a train and a railway station platform is at a safe level; and what recent recommendations he has received from the Health and Safety Executive with regard to the distance between a train and a railway station platform. [124454]

§ Mr. Hill
Railtrack, as infrastructure controller, is responsible for the safety of its infrastructure. There are no regulations which specify a maximum gap at the train/platform interface. However, the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE's) Railway Inspectorate has published guidance documents entitled "Railway Safety Principles and Guidance" which provide an accepted standard of good practice for now or altered work within the railway industry. "Railway Safety Principles and Guidance Part 2 Section B: Guidance on stations" sets acceptable stepping criteria between trains and platforms, the maxima for these are250mm vertically; 275mm horizontally; and 350mm diagonally
HSE is aware that historically some platforms exist where these dimensions are exceeded. Railtrack is 65W developing a strategy of identifying and dealing with these on a prioritised basis. HSE is following this initiative closely to ensure that there is a satisfactory outcome.
These dimensions may only be exceeded when dispensation has been obtained from the Inspectorate. Warning notices reading 'Mind the Gap' with hatching along the platform edge, or other agreed measures for example, public announcements, may be required. HSE considers that to require the infrastructure controller or station operator to carry out work specifically to rectify platform gaps would not be reasonably practicable. HSE would however expect any planned alteration or new works around the train/platform interface to include a reduction in the gaps at interface.
The Department has received correspondence on this subject from time to time.