HC Deb 05 November 1996 vol 284 c413W
Mrs. Dunwoody

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of installing and operating automatic train protection on all trains on the network. [1872]

Mr. Watts

None. The British Railways Board estimated in 1994 that, assessing the project over a 20-year period, the net total cash cost of a network-wide ATP system would be about £759 million. The independent Health and Safety Commission advised that the introduction of ATP, as piloted, on a network-wide basis was not reasonably practicable, and that there were alternative safety investments which would be likely to yield greater effectiveness in terms of lives saved, and better value for money.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what(a) legislation and (b) other rules and regulations cover safety requirements for rail transport after privatisation; and if he will indicate in particular which legislation or regulations apply to the number of standing passengers permitted as a ratio of seated passengers; [1852]

(2) what (a) legislation and (b) other rules and regulations covered rail transport safety before rail privatisation; and if he will make a statement. [1835]

Mr. Watts

The statutory requirements concerning railway safety which pre-date rail privatisation are referred to in annex 11 of HM Chief Inspecting Officer of Railways' annual report for 1994–95, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. These provisions are still in force.

Since the start of rail privatisation in 1994, the following safety regulations have been made under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974: the Railways (Safety Case) Regulations 1994; the Railways (Safety Critical Work) Regulations 1994; the Railways and Other Transport Systems (Approval of Works, Plant and Equipment) Regulations 1994; the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail Regulations 1996; the Packaging, Labelling and Carriage of Radioactive Materials by Rail Regulations 1996. In addition, the Health and Safety Commission has recently submitted to the Secretary of State draft Level Crossings Regulations and draft Railway Safety (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations. The latter would repeal and replace most of the pre-1994 provisions.

There are no statutory provisions which cover the ratio of standing to seated passengers.