Red signal incidents spark concern

Signals passed at danger have caused derailments

The new year has seen no improvement in the number of trains passing danger signals and safety officials have announced a rising trend in serious incidents.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said there had been a rising trend in serious incidents of signals passed at danger (spads) since February 1999.

There were 33 spads in January 2001 - the same number as in January 2000.

A train passing a red-lit signal led to the October 1999 Paddington rail crash that claimed the lives of 31 people.

Paddington rail crash claimed 31 lives

The spotlight was turned on the signal in question when it was revealed it had been passed at danger before.

The outcry from relatives of the deceased and safety campaigners prompted the regular monthly publishing of spad figures.

Latest figures show that four trains overran red lights by more than 200 yards during January 2001, and spads caused two derailments.

The number of incidents of drivers moving off from stations while the signals were against them was "disappointing", an HSE spokesman said.

Nine spads during January involved drivers who had previously passed a signal at danger.

And 22 spads were at signals with a previous history of being passed at danger, with eight of the signals passed at danger five times or more since 1985.

Of the January 2001 cases, 10 were regarded as serious and two led to track damage.