Father's concern over seat belts

Mr Webster says he is astounded nothing was done with the offer

A Devon father who lost his daughter in the Berkshire rail crash claims to have uncovered new evidence on rail safety.

Emily Webster, 14, was one of seven people who died in last month's crash.

Peter Webster says a proposal to fit belts to trains free of charge was suggested to the government five years ago, but nothing was done.

Emily's father, who is suing First Great Western and Network Rail over safety, plans to take concerns of passengers to Tony Blair.

Research has shown that passengers are reluctant to use seatbelts Department for Transport

Mr Webster was on the Paddington to Plymouth service with his daughter on 6 November when it hit a car on a level crossing at Ufton Nervet.

He says he finds it hard to believe that the offer of free belts by Elite Services was not taken up and ministers declined invitations to meet the company which made the proposal.

He said: "I'm astounded frankly that the industry had ignored that advice and ignored the option of a free fitment of seatbelts on a trial basis.

"I'm also very disappointed that the politicians who were aware of this didn't feel they had time to even consider the issue.

"I just don't think they have taken the matter seriously enough."

Memorial service

But the Department for Transport said in a statement: "The question of seatbelts has been considered both in Britain and in countries throughout the world, but research has shown that passengers are reluctant to use them.

"Unlike travelling by car, coach or plane, passengers tend to move around more on trains.

"However, the Secretary of State has asked the Rail Safety and Standards Board to consider the question of seatbelts as part of the industry's investigation into the Ufton Nervet accident."

A spokesman for Elite Services confirmed that the company has been in discussions with the Department of Transport and train companies since the 1990s and had invited companies and ministers to an event to demonstrate the seat belts in 1998.

Dave Nickson, the company's managing director, told BBC News: "These days you have to wear belts in fairground rides and children wear them in supermarket trollies, but there's been no real interest in belts in trains.

"I've even offered to fund it myself in the past. You feel like giving up.

"It's very odd - the railways are a law unto themselves"

Mr Webster and his family will attend a memorial service on Wednesday for Emily and the other six people who died in the crash.