Action call on accident anniversary

To mark the second anniversary of the fatal Carmont train derailment on 12 August 2020, which killed the driver, conductor and a passenger and injured six passengers, the RMT transport union called on Network Rail to act on safety recommendations made following the incident. The union accused the rail infrastructure company of “dragging its feet dangerously” on RAIB rail accident investigation body safety recommendations. 


And, instead of focusing on rail safety, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said Network Rail “is proposing to make matters even worse by cutting thousands of safety-critical jobs across the network”.


The TSSA transport union said that, as well as an end to job cuts in Network Rail, “museum piece” HST high speed trains should be taken out of service, and rail fares reduced. 


TSSA leader Manuel Cortes said the RAIB made clear that failings in the HST played a part in the tragedy, adding: “They were built in the 1970s and have no place in a 21st century rail network.”


He also pointed out that heavy rain played a significant role in causing the accident and that extreme weather events are becoming more common.