ANOTHER RAIL RUNAWAY

RMT has demanded urgent action to stop the continuing stream of runaways on Britain’s railways after another road-rail vehicle ran out of control for seven miles between Brentwood and Romford in Essex on the morning of Sunday November 4. RMT understands that the incident, involving a privately-owned and operated road-rail vehicle, would not have been possible had modifications, required under an improvement notice issued by the railways inspectorate last year, already been carried out on it. NO ACTION However, the improvement notice gave Network Rail until the end of 2007 to implement changes and allowed contractors to continue operating unmodified vehicles. RMT understands that the vehicle involved in Sunday was due for modification next week. The Romford incident brings to 12 the number of runaways recorded since four rail workers were killed by a runaway trailer at Tebay in Cumbria on February 15, 2004. “Every one of these runaways is a potential killer and every one of them is preventable, but the industry has so far failed to protect track workers,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said. “There could have been 12 more Tebays since our four members were killed in Cumbria in February 2004, and that is unacceptable,” he said. The union was promised urgent action after two runaways in Stockport in August 2004, but it took the inspectorate another two years to issue an improvement notice, and even then they gave Network Rail a year to do something. It is only since the latest incident that NR has finally suspended the use of the type of vehicle involved at Romford. RMT argues that action is required now to protect track workers, but the union is still waiting for a meeting with Network Rail to discuss the possibility of secondary protection. The common thread linking all of the runaways is that not one of the vehicles is owned or operated by Network Rail itself. “It is only when Network Rail takes proper control of the assets and skills needed for renewals that we can begin to ensure that these vehicles are in working order and operated safely. “Network Rail has already made its maintenance safer and more efficient by bringing it back in-house, and they now need to complete the job and bring renewals back in-house too,” Bob Crow said. The fatal runaway incident at Tebay, Cumbria, took place on February 15 2004, killing four and injuring three. The incidents listed below are those recorded since. 1 May 2004 RRV Sheildmuir 2 August 2004 RRV Stockport 3 August 2004 RRV Stockport 4 November 2004 RRV Aylesford 5 August 2005 Loco Blake Street (Lichfield) 6 November 2005 Trolley Larkhall 7 August 2006 Loco East Didsbury 8 July 2006 Ballast Cheddington cleaner 9 November 2006 RRV Copenhagen Tunnel (Kings Cross) 10 December 2006 Multi- Kingswood purpose veh 11 January 20007 Flat Armathwaite, wagon 12 November 20007 RRV Romford, The Rail Accident Investigation Branch’s notice of the Romford incident investigation can be read at: http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/current_ investigations_register/071104_romford.cfm RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: november 2007 :: RMTnews 17 Another rail runaway RMT demands urgent action after the twelfth rail runaway since Tebay tragedy