§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the current arrangements provided by British Rail for the safety of its customers.
§ Mr. FreemanBritish Rail's safety plan sets out the board's safety policy and objectives and the wide range of initiatives under way. These include new safety management systems, improved training, investment in new equipment and changes in working methods. Copies of the plan are in the Library. The board's railway code gives advice on the safe use of railway services.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 20 June,Official Report, columns 275–82, to the hon. Member for Don Valley, if he will list those accidents that involved passengers falling from passenger trains that were in motion; and at what approximate speed the train was travelling.
§ Mr. FreemanAll the accidents listed in my previous answers involved falls from moving trains. Details of train speeds are not available.
§ Mr. AltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the recent rail crash at Liverpool's Lime Street station; and whether the findings of the British Rail inspectorate will be made public.
§ Mr. FreemanAn empty diesel multiple unit train collided with the buffer stops at Liverpool Lime Street station at about 1330 hours on Saturday 5 October after its brakes had failed. It came to rest on the concourse. Fortunately, the signalman at Edge Hill was able to warn the station of the impending collision and the concourse was cleared. There were no serious injuries or serious damage to the station, though the buffer stops and one coach of the two-car train were damaged beyond repair. Earlier in the day the train had hit an obstruction on the line and received attention at Lime Street before being placed back in service.