Damning report on train investigations

The report highlighted problems in investigating incidents

Rail investigations which look at why trains have passed signals at red are poorly conducted with widespread shortcomings, says a report.

The report prepared for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) demands that Railtrack improve its procedures for probing such incidents.

The independent report is said to be a "damning indictment" on how the rail industry investigates potentially dangerous incidents.

In one incident, engineering staff weren't checked for drugs and alcohol, it was only realised later they should have been

BBC's Simon Montague

The report coincides with the June figures on trains passing lights at red - which showed serious incidents had doubled since the same month last year.

The HSE says the quality of investigations should see an improvement, with the introduction of well-established principles.

Managers blamed

The HSE said there were 41 SPADs - signals passed at danger - in June 2002, nine more than in June 2001.

But this is still the second-lowest for June since records began in 1985.

Of the June 2002 SPADs, 18 were serious, compared with nine in June 2001.

The BBC's transport correspondent Simon Montague says the report puts the blame on managers involved in the investigations and the methods used.

He said: "In one incident, engineering staff weren't checked for drugs and alcohol, it was only realised later they should have been."

In other cases there were big difficulties in gaining essential evidence.

Danger history

"Drivers have carried too much of the blame, while other factors are downplayed," he added.

But Railtrack has had to bear the brunt of the criticism and the HSE says the revised procedures should make a difference.

The HSE reported that two SPADs last month led to track damage and 23 were at signals with a previous SPAD history.

Eight trains ran past the signal by more than 200 yards and in 10 instances it was not the first time that the driver has passed a signal at danger.

Railtrack was officially replaced by Network Rail, a not-for-profit company controlled by train operators, rail unions and passenger groups, in June this year.