§ Mr. ClellandTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British Rail train drivers were disciplined for taking trains through red danger signals in each of the years 1980 to 1988; and what assessment he has made of the implications for safety.
§ Mr. Portillo[holding answer 22 March 1989]: The chief inspecting officer of railways drew attention in his annual report for 1986 to the growing problem of signals passed at danger and the studies being carried out by British Rail. As my right hon. Friend reported to the House at column 757, in his statement on the accident at Bellgrove, British Rail has now decided to carry out trials of an automatic train protection system as a possible way of dealing with this problem. Detailed figures for the years 1980–88 are not available since BR has not in the past been required to report these incidents to the railway inspectorate. Arrangements to do so in future are being discussed as part of the follow up to the review of the railway inspectorate which I announced on Tuesday 21 March in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway).