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Rail network safety performance for 2006 shows continuing improvement

Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) has published its Annual Safety Performance Report for 2006 which shows continued improvements in both passenger and workforce safety. The headlines from 2006 were:

For a second consecutive year, no one was killed on a train in an accident. This is the first time this has been achieved in the history of the railways in Great Britain.
Two passengers died as a result of assault. A further six passengers died in accidents at stations; alcohol was a contributory factor in three cases.
Two members of the workforce died in accidents in the trackside environment.
The number of potentially higher risk train accidents was 6% lower than 2005.
At the end of 2006, the risk from signals passed at danger (SPADs) stood at less than 10% of its March 2001 level.
For the first time since 1997, there were no accidental fatalities involving vehicle drivers at level crossings.
Five pedestrians died at level crossings, the lowest total since 1999.
Fatalities arising from trespass and suicide increased during 2006, with a total of 288 compared with 248 in 2005.

Anson Jack, Director of Policy, Research and Risk said ‘Rail is a very safe form of public transport and the continuing efforts of the rail industry saw further improvements in the industry safety performance during 2006. Over the past six decades, there have been six years when no one on board a train lost their life in a train accident. Three of these have occurred in the last four years (2003, 2005 and 2006)’.
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For further information please contact the Rail Safety and Standards Board press office, on 020 7904 7524/5 or visit the website on www.rssb.co.uk

Notes to editors:

Working with our industry partners RSSB’s purpose is to:
continuously improve the level of safety in the rail industry
drive out unnecessary cost
improve business performance

2. The Annual Safety Performance Report 2006, compiled and published by RSSB on behalf of the industry, covers the calendar year and chronicles safety performance on the national rail network.

3. A copy of the report can be found on RSSB’s website at www.rssb.co.uk/spreports.asp

4. RSSB manages a number of national programmes that bring together experts from the industry and external agencies to analyse, and identify ways to reduce risk, and supports operators and Network Rail with their safety management responsibilities. RSSB manages an industry Research and Development programme to support these activities.

5. Behind the headlines:

The term ‘train accident’ covers a wide range of events, most of which carry little potential for harm. Analysis concentrates on the number of potentially higher risk train accidents, which, at 47, was a 6% reduction on the 50 that occurred in 2005. Because train accidents are relatively rare, the industry also analyses trends in precursors to accidents. Based on this analysis, the overall trend is one of reducing risk. The following are among the precursors to have shown improvements during 2006:

Level crossing near misses fell by 11%.
Broken rails reduced by 28% to the lowest recorded figure of 227.
The number of SPADs classed as potentially severe reduced from 22 to 18.
Objects placed on the line by vandals, and the incidence of non-rail vehicles on the line, fell by 9% and 14% respectively.
At the end of 2006, the risk from SPADs stood at less than 10% of the March 2001 level. This reduction is a major achievement for the industry, and results from the implementation of TPWS, in combination with a wide range of other industry initiatives.

The number of passenger major injuries fell from 254 to 210, due to a significant reduction in the number of accidents at stations (where the majority of passenger major injuries occur). The largest reduction came in the boarding/alighting category, with slips, trips and falls showing an improvement.

Two members of the workforce were killed during the year. This is the fewest number of staff fatalities since 1997, and the first time in the same period that no track worker fatalities have occurred. Workforce major injuries also showed significant improvement, with a reduction of 24% from 2005, continuing the downward trend seen since 2004.

Workforce personal security is another key issue. Effort has focused on encouraging staff to report all incidents of abuse, no matter how minor. Over the past five years, there has been a steady fall in the reported number of assaults resulting in physical injury.

Although five pedestrians died at level crossings, this is the lowest number since 1999. In addition, as indicated above, there were no accidental road vehicle occupant deaths for the first time since 1997. The number of collisions between road vehicles and trains was the lowest total for over ten years, and 39% lower than the average for the previous four years. For the second year running, there was no derailment resulting from a collision at a level crossing.

These achievements confirm the railway industry’s commitment to maintain safety and where reasonably practicable, make improvements.