BUILDING THE UNION IN THE ROAD FREIGHT SECTOR

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: june 2010 :: RMTnews 15 RMT has demanded that First Scotrail abandon plans to extend Driver Only Operation following a second train derailment due to a landslip on the Oban- Glasgow line at Falls of Cruachan. The union has written to the Scottish government and Scotrail demanding a halt to plans to introduce DOO on the new Airdrie-Bathgate route – pointing out the safety-critical role that the guard plays in an emergency situation, working with the driver. RMT has also written to Network Rail over concerns that key recommendations following previous derailments may not have been carried out. The previous derailment at the Falls of Cruachan occurred on April 5 1997, just yards from the latest incident. Incredibly, the same Guard, Angus MacColl, was on board both trains and was praised back in 1997 for his professional and calm response as he implemented emergency procedures. RMT representatives have confirmed that the likely cause of the latest derailment was boulders on the track. A “failsafe” trigger wire system, which is supposed to activate red signals when boulders hit the wire, is thought to have failed on a section of track prone to landslips. As a consequence, the first car derailed and was left suspended with only the coupling of the second car preventing it from falling down the hillside in what would have been a major disaster. While the driver put out a fire in the carriage, the guard activated emergency procedures and the evacuation of the passengers and it was the quick thinking and team working of the two crew that led around 60 people on board to safety. Due to a fault with the radio that night it was the Guard, Mr MacColl, who left the train and walked back to the nearest phone to contact the emergency services – ensuring the safe evacuation of passengers and securing the area. RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said that in the light of the incident it would be a scandal if First Scotrail and the Scottish government pressed on with their cash- driven plans to axe the Guards on the new Airdrie-Bathgate route. “In incident after incident on our railways, going back many years, the safety-critical role of the Guard in an emergency situation has been both recognised and praised by the investigating authorities. “The lesson is simple. In an emergency you need both the driver and the Guard, working as a team, to secure the incident and to implement safe, evacuation procedures. “Scotrail cannot be allowed to get away with praising Angus MacColl on one hand and then axing his colleagues from their other services on the other. “The political leaders at the Scottish government cannot stand idly by while they try to do just that. We are demanding an immediate halt to the Scotrail plans for Driver Only Operation,” he said. LESSONS NOT LEARNED RMT is deeply concerned that there is growing evidence that lessons of derailments prior to the latest incident at the Falls of Cruachan may not have been learned and that key recommendations may not have been acted upon. Against the background of savage cuts to budgets at Network Rail, and the prospect of more to come from the new government, the union is seeking assurances that all recommendations have been actioned and that corners have not been cut. RMT has written to the senior official of Network Rail in Scotland demanding urgent answers over exactly what action has been taken to address recommendations following a catalogue of derailments in Scotland. In a letter to Network Rail Route Maintenance Director Scotland Paul Taylor, RMT identifies previous recommendations and four other derailments involving landslides in the last five years: • Railtrack report into derailment at Falls of Cruachan – April 5 1997 • RAIB (Rail Accident Investigation Bureau) report into derailment in November 2005 when a three-car Class 175 travelling at 92 mph ran into a landslip at Oubeck North • RAIB report into derailment in November 2005 when a three-car Class 170 travelling at 56 mph derailed after hitting a landslip in a cutting north of Moy in Inverness-shire • RAIB report into derailment in January 2007 when a two-car Class 158 travelling at 51 mph struck debris following a landslip in the cutting south of Kemble tunnel • RAIB class report into Management of Existing Earthworks, December 2008 • A three-car Class 159 travelling also derailed after striking a landslip at the London end of Gillingham tunnel, between Gillingham and Templecombe In the letter to Mr Taylor, Bob Crow says: “While it is possible to track progress with RAIB recommendations it has not been possible to ascertain what progress was made in actioning the recommendations from the Railtrack report from 1997. I have enclosed a copy of the recommendations from the 1997 report, can you please provide me, as a matter of urgency, details of work done by Railtrack to close out recommendations 1 – 4 and 6. An examination of publicly available data on the ORR website shows that while some of the RAIB recommendations aimed at Network Rail are closed both the recommendations into Kemble remain “in progress” and recommendations 1 and 6 of the class investigation also remain “in progress”. Can you also provide me with details of what progress has been made with these recommendations. I am also extremely concerned that all through the Railtrack report into the 1997 incident makes reference to the high level of false alarms with the stone signals and there is reference to designing a new system of alarms no recommendation on this was made by the panel. It was also concluded that the embankment should be stabilised by the construction of gabbions I also believe this was not actioned”. SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT HEARS SCOTRAIL MOTION Labour MSP Bill Butler has tabled the following motion in the Scottish Parliament urging the Scottish government to intervene ensure first First ScotRail honour the existing agreement with RMT and to state it will not reimburse ScotRail for any losses incurred during the dispute. Motion number S3M-06444 Glasgow Anniesland Bill Butler MSP: RMT Industrial Dispute That the Parliament notes the continuing dispute between First ScotRail and the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers that has resulted in six days of industrial action being taken since February 2010; believes that the issue at the heart of the dispute is what it considers to be First ScotRail’s refusal to abide by the agreement that the company would not, during the current franchise, remove conductors from any of the services on which they are now present; is concerned at First ScotRail’s refusal to negotiate on this issue; is further concerned that published correspondence between the Scottish Government’s transport agency, Transport Scotland, and First ScotRail reveals that the company decided to proceed with plans to remove conductors only at the behest of Transport Scotland and following firm indications that Transport Scotland would ex ercise a provision in the franchise agreement to reimburse any losses incurred by First ScotRail that arise from industrial action; urges the Scottish Government to intervene to ensure that Transport Scotland and First ScotRail honour the existing agreement with the RMT , and calls on the Scottish Government to state that it will not reimburse First ScotRail for any losses or costs incurred arising from the current dispute with RMT .