UK Health & Safety Executive publishes interim report into Selby rail crash

Disaster Prevention and Management

ISSN: 0965-3562

Article publication date: 1 October 2001

220

Citation

(2001), "UK Health & Safety Executive publishes interim report into Selby rail crash", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 10 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2001.07310dab.002

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2001, MCB UP Limited


UK Health & Safety Executive publishes interim report into Selby rail crash

UK Health & Safety Executive publishes interim report into Selby rail crash

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) interim report on the collision between a Landrover and two trains at Great Heck near Selby, Yorkshire, on 28 February, paid tribute to inter-agency collaboration.

On being informed of the collision Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) sent four inspectors to the site, the first arriving at 09.24, closely followed by a further four. The initial on-site investigation continued until work ceased at dusk due to failing light, and was resumed at first light the following day. The investigation is being co-ordinated by various concerned agencies: the local constabulary (both South and North Yorkshire police), the British Transport Police (BTP), the Highways Agency, GNER, Freightliner and Railtrack. The report notes the excellent and complete co-operation between the various agencies involved. HMRI has requested the assistance of the HSE's Health and Safety Laboratory, who are working with GNER and HSBC (the vehicle owners), to compile a photographic record of the site for future use in studying the crashworthiness of the train vehicles. The investigation has been able to make use of the data recorder, which was recovered from the Class 66 locomotive, and shows that the freight train was travelling at 56 mph as it approached the collision site. This is well within the permitted line speed (60 mph) for this stretch of track. The data also show that the brake was applied seven seconds before the collision, at an impact speed of 54.2 mph.

The police have examined the scene in detail to try to determine the reasons for the vehicle leaving the road in the first place but, at this stage of the investigation, are unable to release any specific details of their findings. In view of the relatively short period of time which has elapsed since the collision, the interim report is largely a factual account of progress to date, and details of current lines of inquiry, setting out the initial findings from the first five days of the HSE's investigation. The report confirms that the initial cause was a Landrover and trailer, which left the carriageway of the M62, continued along the embankment and then on to the railway track, into the path of a London-bound express train. The impact with the Landrover caused the train to derail, and the train was carried forward by its own momentum, until it hit a set of points, which further deflected the train into the path of a north-bound freight train travelling on the other track. Clearly, the immediate cause of the collision was that the Landrover fouled the track. The report states that the circumstances leading to this, and to the subsequent disaster, were not foreseeable. Indeed, the time span between the Landrover coming on to the line and the final impact between the two trains was around 60 seconds. The HSE has not taken any immediate enforcement action, as there is no evidence, at this stage, to suggest that railway staff made any errors, or that there were any faults with the signalling, rolling stock or track. On the basis of evidence to date, the HSE believes that there was nothing that the railway industry could reasonably have done to prevent the collisions. The HSE's Chief Inspector of Railways, Vic Coleman, said: "The evidence so far suggests that the events which led to this catastrophe were beyond the control of the railway industry." The HSE's HMRI is continuing to investigate the collision in collaboration with other agencies, drawing on a range of expertise into matters relating to road design and construction, crash barrier protection, road conditions at the time and the state of the road vehicle and its driver.

(Footnote – The driver of the Landrover has subsequently been charged with causing the deaths of ten people.)

(Fire, May 2001)

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