HL Deb 30 July 2002 vol 638 cc174-5WA
Baroness Pitkeathley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress has been made on the recommendations of the reports produced in February this year by the Health and Safety Commission and the Highways Agency following the Selby road/rail accident on 28 February 2001. [HL5732]

Lord Macdonald of Tradeston

Good progress is being made in implementing these recommendations. Representatives of highway authorities, railway infrastructure authorities and rail safety organisations are working with the Department for Transport on the immediate priorities. They have agreed the basis for a protocol for apportioning responsibility and costs of mitigation measures. In addition, following adoption of an initial CSS/Railtrack risk prioritisation framework, progress is being made in developing a second stage assessment tool for sites where the risk of a road vehicle accidentally getting onto the railway is not clear cut. Progress is also being made on good practice guidance on measures to help manage risk at specific sites, the identification of the data required to be collected following incidents where road vehicles get onto railway property and the revision of barrier standards.

We are pleased to say that we are on track to complete these recommendations by spring next year.