Local MPs, Amber Rudd and Huw Merriman, this week hailed the findings from the independent Rail Safety Regulator at the Office of Rail and Road following his investigation and report in to Southern Rail's Driver Only Operated trains. The MPs hope that the conclusions, and reassurance over safety matters, may provide the evidence to persuade the rail unions to bring their industrial action to an end.
Previously, when questioned by Mr Merriman before the Transport Select Committee, the Rail Safety Regulator, Mr Ian Prosser, expressed his reluctance to undertake a detailed investigation using his independent role as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Railways and Director of Rail Safety. He cited a concern that his office could become embroiled in the dispute. Mr Merriman had asked Mr Prosser to consider the case for a detailed review, and report, in order to provide independent verification to passengers and rail workers that the new trains were safe.
Mr Prosser instead wrote to Mr Merriman to confirm that the same practice had been in use on other parts of the UK's rail network for many years and, with the correct steps taken, should be deemed similarly safe on Southern.
Following this letter, and with the industrial action showing no signs of ending, the Rail Safety Regulator changed his approach and embarked on a detailed investigation, which involved visiting stations and travelling on the new trains across the region. In his detailed report, Mr Prosser confirms that, with the steps being taken by Southern, the train operator will be meeting the standards required for the technology to be safely introduced and used.
In a further boost to safety, Southern has agreed to deliver some additional enhancements to train cameras and take additional steps which should improve safety beyond the minimum levels required by the Rail Safety Regulator. In one such move, Southern have introduced a practice which will allow the driver to continue to view platform cameras as the train moves away from the station. The Rail Safety Regulator welcomed such a practice as an improvement to present practice which relies on a guard closing the doors and having no platform view, or means to stop the train, once the train moves.
Amber said "This detailed report from the Rail Safety Regulator should provide further reassurance about the safety of Southern Trains. In addition to the guarantee that there will be the same number of onboard supervisors on trains as there were guards, and guarantees over pay, it is to be hoped that the unions now have enough reassurance to end these damaging strikes."
Huw said "I am really pleased that we can rely on an in-depth review and report from the Rail Safety Regulator. I first asked him to prepare a report because the rail union leaders appearing before me in the Transport Select Committee maintained that their members could not have confidence in safety without it. Now we have the findings of this investigation, in addition to the written opinion from last November, I hope that the unions will now concede that there is no justification for further strikes and swiftly bring this sorry saga to an end."
