HL Deb 05 November 2003 vol 654 cc121-2WA
Lord Bradshaw

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What evaluation has been made of the safety justification and risk-based evidence of the decision of the safety authorities to fit the train protection and warning system at terminal station platforms; and whether they will publish the results. [HL5248]

Lord Davies of Oldham

The TPWS System Authority, a rail industry body, commissioned a study which considered the safety benefits, disbenefits and operational issues arising from the fitment of the Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) at station terminal platforms used by older style Mark 1 rolling stock. This is an internal industry document and there are no plans for it to be published outside the TPWS System Authority members.

TPWS has been fitted at certain sites on the network as a requirement of the Railway Safety Regulations 1999. The industry has always had the option of applying to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for exemptions from these requirements, if justified. No such application has been made to the HSE for TPWS buffer-stop fitments.