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SAFETY BODY PUBLISHES PRELIMINARY REPORT ON UFTON

Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) has today published a preliminary formal inquiry report into the Ufton level crossing collision and derailment on 6 November 2004, which claimed the lives of five people traveling on the train, the train driver, the driver of the car and injured many more.

The report, prepared by an independent three-man panel, sets out a brief account of the accident, the evidence that has been presented to the panel and a broad outline of the findings to date.

RSSB acts to ensure that serious railway accidents are investigated thoroughly and independently, and that lessons for safety are learned and acted on. The inquiry is not for the purpose of apportioning blame or liability and is quite separate from any police investigation.

The independent inquiry is continuing and on target to deliver a final report and recommendations within six to twelve months of the accident, but any safety lessons will be passed to the industry as soon as they become apparent. On issue of the full report within the railway industry, RSSB will place a summary on its website.