Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions

Government acts on Lord Cullen's report
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date 20 Sep 2001 00:00
source Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions
type Press release

Transport Secretary Stephen Byers today gave his support to the second part of the report of Lord Cullen''s public inquiry into the Ladbroke Grove train crash, and pledged that the Government would ensure that all recommendations would be acted on.

Stephen Byers said:

''I would like to thank Lord Cullen for this very thorough report dealing with the culture, management and regulation of rail safety.

''Our thoughts today must be with those who perished, or who survived or lost loved ones in this tragic accident. The actions we take as a result of this report must ensure that safety standards in the industry are driven up and that we do all that we reasonably can to avoid accidents like this occurring in the future.

''We have already pledged to bring within the 10 Year Plan the measures arising from Lord Cullen''s inquiry into Ladbroke Grove and the joint inquiry with Professor Uff into train protection systems. I repeat that pledge today.

''We shall publish in this Parliamentary session our proposals to take forward those of Lord Cullen''s recommendations which require primary legislation. These include the establishment of an independent accident investigator and a fully independent industry safety body.

''Lord Cullen underlines the importance of the HSE having adequate resources for rail safety regulation. Action has already been taken. HSE have double the number of railway inspectors that they had at the time of the Ladbroke Grove crash and further expansion is planned. We shall ensure that HSE has adequate resources for rail safety regulation.

''I have asked the Health & Safety Commission to ensure that the recommendations are acted upon and to report to me within six months. I also intend to meet again with the Paddington Survivors Group, and to meet with representatives of other relevant groups, to discuss the action that now needs to be taken. We can never afford to be complacent - rail is still much safer than road - but we owe it to the victims and survivors to take forward these recommendations as swiftly as we can.''

Notes to Editors

The Ladbroke Grove Rail Inquiry Part Two Report by the Rt Hon Lord Cullen PC arising out of the Ladbroke Grove rail crash, October 1999, was published today by the Health and Safety Commission.

The website for the Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive is located at www.hse.gov.uk

Public Enquiries: 020 7944 3000 DTLR website: http://www.dtlr.gov.uk

Railhub Archive ::: 2001-09-20 DTR-001