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| MP calls for better communication over
rail incidents |
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“No-one has signed up to Network Rail’s National Emergency Plan and no formal plans exist for frequent incidents such as bridge strikes, fatalities, vandalism or trespassing. Network Rail has generic incident guidance, but this is not reaching local police, fire and ambulance crews, who do not always know the right person to contact at Network Rail or how to work on the railway safely. This lack of communication is making severe disruption to rail services even worse”. “Network Rail is not always represented at Local Resilience Forums, even though the emergency services find their attendance very useful. Network Rail should attend the forums as a matter of course”. “Train Operating Companies have admitted that passengers do not always get adequate information about service disruption. Almost unbelievably, when problems occur they are made worse because too many rail staff are trying to contact the control centre at once. One would have thought that by now they would have designed a communications system that could deal with this”. Mr Bacon was speaking as the National Audit Office published its report on the management of rail incidents today (Friday 14 March 2008). Network Rail’s National Emergency Plan sets out the responsibilities of Network Rail staff in the event of an accident, incident or emergency, as well as the responsibilities of the emergency services. However, the emergency services have not been asked to sign up to the document. Localised incidents, such as bridge strikes, fatalities, vandalism or trespassing, are not covered by formal plans. By contrast, the Highways Agency has signed national and local incident management agreements with the police and fire services, and is in the process of agreeing memoranda of understanding with individual NHS Ambulance Trusts. Network Rail sets out generic guidance for emergency services which includes advice on how to make contact with Network Rail during incidents, and how to access and work on the railway safely. However, the report finds that either this guidance is not reaching emergency service personnel or is not being followed, often resulting in further delays to passengers. The main opportunities for contact between Network Rail and the emergency services are the Local Resilience Forums, which were set up following the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 to maintain levels of preparedness for large civil emergencies. The Ambulance Services Network and the British Transport Police told the National Audit Office that they find Network Rail’s attendance very useful, but noted that this did not always happen. The 2007 National Passenger Survey found that three-quarters of passengers unhappy with how rail delays had been handled felt they had not received adequate information. The Train Operating Companies contacted by the National Audit Office acknowledged that passengers did not always receive adequate information when services were disrupted. The report finds that possible reasons for delays in this flow of information include too many rail staff trying to contact the control centre at the same time and a perceived reluctance among drivers to speak to passengers. 14 March 2008 See also:
NAO REPORT:
Reducing delays by better
incident management
LOCAL NEWS:
MP calls for review of level crossings
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| © Richard Bacon 2009 | ||||||
