Rail safety improves

Tuesday, 19 July 2005 12:00 AM

Safety on the railways has improved over the last year, according to a new report by a government watchdog.

Director of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Dr Allan Sefton said the rail network had made "steady and positive progress" over the last year.

In addition, plans to bring responsibility for track maintenance under the control of the Network Rail - the body that manages the network of rail tracks - were an opportunity to further improve rail safety, he said.

But Dr Sefton warned more work had to be done to continue to improve safety. Referring to the accident on Ufton Nervet level crossing, which claimed the lives of seven people, Dr Sefton said it was important to change human behaviour as well as the infrastructure.

The HSE also reported that vandalism accounted for half of the 479 health and safety incidents last year.

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