§ Mr. FrenchTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 26 March,Official Report, columns 543–44, what assessment was made by the Health and Safety Executive of the additional time an overcrowded train will take to evacuate in the event of an accident. [25246]
§ Mr. WattsThe time taken to evacuate a train will depend on the type of accident and its location. This is particularly relevant when an accident occurs on electrified lines or where there are trains running on adjacent lines.
In all incidents other than fires, it is preferable that passengers do not attempt to leave the train until directed to do so by railway staff or the emergency services. In such circumstances, crowded trains do not present a hazard for passenger safety.