HC Deb 21 June 1994 vol 245 cc134-7W
Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fires have occurred on(a) British Rail and (b) Network SouthEast in each month since 1991 and each year since April 1984; and how many of these occurred (i) on rolling stock, (ii) at stations, (iii) on tracks in tunnels, (iv) on open tracks, (v) on escalators, (vi) on lifts and (vii) in other locations.

Mr. Freeman

The information is not available in the format requested. The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate maintains records of railway accidents and casualties. Its records do not differentiate between railway regions.

Railway fire statistics other than fires on trains have only been collated since 1989 and a monthly breakdown is not possible.

Details of railway fires are given in chapter 5 of the "Annual Report on Railway Safety in Great Britain" for each year. Copies are available in the House Library.

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give(a) the total number of passenger fatalities, (b) the total number of serious injuries to passengers and (c) the total number of minor injuries to passengers on (i) British Rail and (ii) Network SouthEast for each month since 1991 and each year since 1984, giving for each of the categories the number which occurred in (1) train accidents, (2) accidents through the movement of railway vehicles, (3) accidents on railway premises and (4) trespassers and suicide.

Mr. Freeman

The information is not available in the format requested. The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate maintains records of railway accidents and casualties. Its records do not readily differentiate between railway operators, or regions. Statistics are provided on a yearly cycle and it is not possible to give a breakdown by month.

The table gives the available information.

Passenger Accidents 1984–1992–93
Train accidents Movement accidents Non movement accidents
Year Fatals Serious injuries Minor injuries Fatals Serious injuries Minor injuries Fatals Serious injuries Minor injuries
1984 18 28 358 21 52 2,348 0 35 3,438
1985 0 31 230 31 42 2,341 2 51 3,467
1986 8 44 298 23 70 2,273 1 55 3,522
1987 3 13 297 36 80 2,609 29 84 3,566
1988 34 75 540 34 102 2,619 1 132 3,903
1989 6 39 272 25 97 2,601 2 132 4,297
1990 0 13 144 37 107 2,551 2 104 3,543
1991–921 2 18 289 53 73 2,181 3 101 3,318
1992–93 0 3 63 26 79 2,335 2 156 3,727
1From 1991 statistics have been collated and produced in financial years (April—March).

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many notifiable train accidents have occurred on(a) British Rail and (b) Network SouthEast in each month since 1991 and in each year since 1984; and how many of these were the result of (i) collisions with buffer stops, (ii) derailments of passenger trains, (iii) derailments of non-passenger trains, (iv) running into obstructions, (v) fires on trains and (vi) other accidents.

Train accidents 1984–1992–93
A B C D E F G
Year Total number of train accidents1 Buffer stop collisions Passenger train derailment Non passenger train derailment Running into obstructions Fires on trains Other accidents including other collisions
1984 1,359 55 33 197 471 168 435
1985 1,240 60 30 199 440 191 320
1986 1,171 55 34 158 451 174 299
1987 1,164 53 20 172 390 191 338
1988 1,258 58 16 187 457 221 319
1989 1,368 62 23 154 481 271 377
1990 1,230 41 23 154 458 228 326
1991–922 918 28 13 119 328 213 217
1992–93 1,092 23 11 164 520 187 187
1The total number of train accidents is made up of Columns B to G.
2From 1991 statistics have been collated and produced in financial years (April—March).

Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the total number of(a) staff and contractor fatalities, (b) serious injuries to staff and contractors and (c) minor injuries to staff and contractors on (i) British Rail and (ii) Network SouthEast for each month since 1991 and each year since 1984, giving for each of the categories the number which occurred in (1) train accidents, (2) accidents through the movement of railway vehicles (3) accidents on railway premises and (4) trespassers and suicide.

Staff and contractors accidents 1984–1992–93
Train accidents Movement accidents Non movement accidents
Year Fatals Serious injuries Minor injuries Fatals Serious injuries Minor injuries Fatals Serious injuries Minor injuries
1984 6 8 60 14 15 58 5 104 2,426
1985 0 9 79 16 37 59 9 120 2,413
1986 5 23 114 8 25 55 3 127 2,564
1987 1 5 60 11 34 50 4 199 2,562
1988 2 6 62 11 36 49 3 231 2,911
1989 6 18 53 8 28 35 4 231 2,770
1990 1 6 67 19 48 68 2 252 2,916
1991–19921 2 6 59 9 39 65 6 233 3,102
1992–1993 1 5 69 5 34 106 5 245 3,173
1Since 1991 statistics have been collated and produced in financial years (April—March).

Mr. Freeman

The information is not available in the format requested. The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate maintains records of railway accidents and casualties. Its records do not differentiate between railway regions. Statistics are provided on a yearly cycle and it is not possible to give a breakdown by month.

Train accident statistics have been broken down into separate railway operators only since 1988. The table therefore lists all train operator accidents until 1988 and British Rail-only accidents from then on.

Mr. Roger Freeman

The information is not available in the format requested. The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate maintains records of railway accidents and casualties. Its records do not differentiate between railway operators' and contractors' staff, nor do they readily differentiate between railway operators. Statistics are provided on a yearly cycle and it is not possible to give a breakdown by month.

The table gives all the available information.

Trespassers and suicides1
Year Killed Major injuries Minor injuries
1984 339 79 49
1985 318 90 38
1986 325 93 27
1987 317 82 19
1988 334 85 44
1989 293 72 20
1990 285 96 27
1991–92 242 69 23
1992–93 244 72 17
1Does not distinguish between employee/contractor or member of the public.