§ Mr. Matherasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the rail crash at Long Ditton on 23 February involving the Hampton Court to Waterloo train, and the Alton to Waterloo express; if he will give details of the casualties and the cause of the accident; how the signals failed; if a fail-safe system was in operation; and what precautions are being taken to prevent such accidents in future.
§ Mr. William RodgersAt 1.20 p. m. on 23 February, the 1.13 train from Hampton Court to Waterloo ran into the side of the rear three cars of the 12.20 train from Alton to Waterloo. Five passengers and two railwaymen were treated in hospital for minor injuries and, I am pleased to say, discharged the same day. The leading two coaches of the Hampton Court train and one coach of the Alton train were derailed.
I have ordered a full inquiry into the accident. This will be held in public as soon as possible by an inspecting officer of railways, and the report will be published. In the circumstances, it would be wrong for me to speculate on its findings and recommendations in advance.