Automatic train protection: HSE publishes independent reviews of industry report

HSE press release E007:03 - 14 January 2003

Three independent research reports which examine industry proposals to introduce Automatic Train Protection (ATP) on Britain's railway network have been published on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website today.

In response to recommendations made in March 2001 by the Uff/Cullen Joint Inquiry into Train Protection Systems, a pan-industry board and team sponsored by the Strategic Rail Authority and Railway Safety were set up to analyse technical options for introducing the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) - an advanced train control system which also provides ATP - onto Britain's rail network.

The ERTMS Programme Team (EPT) produced an industry plan for development and fitment. Following publication in April 2002, the Government agreed that the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) should undertake an independent review of the industry's proposals. The review examined industry's preferred options for implementation and also looked at current public attitudes on ATP and railway safety generally.

Independent contractors People Science and Policy Ltd (PSP) carried out the public dialogue while consortia led by National Engineering Laboratory (NEL) and National Economic Research Associates (NERA) looked respectively at technical and economic issues of the EPT's report.

HSC is considering the review findings, including these reports, before it provides advice to Ministers on the industry's approach and how best to ensure delivery of the safety benefits of ERTMS.

The three reports:

'Public dialogue on train protection' by PSP;
'Review of economic aspects of the work of the ERTMS Project Team' by NERA; and 'A technical review of the ERTMS Project Team Report' by the NEL Consortium, are available on the HSE website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/railways/liveissues/tps.htm (under 'Train Protection Systems')

Notes to editors

1. Automatic Train Protection (ATP) prevents trains from over-speeding and from running past signals set at danger. It intervenes automatically to slow or stop the train. After the Ladbroke Grove train crash in October 1999, the Joint Inquiry into Train Protection Systems, chaired by Professor John Uff QC and the Rt Hon Lord Cullen PC (Uff/Cullen) considered train protection and warning systems; the future application of ATP and measures to prevent Signals Passed At Danger (SPADs).

2. The Uff/Cullen public inquiry report was published in March 2001. 11 of the report's 39 recommendations deal with fitting the European Train Control System (ETCS - the train control part of ERTMS) in the UK.

3. The railway industry's ERTMS Programme Team (EPT) was established after the Uff/Cullen report was published to produce "the Industry Plan for the implementation of ERTMS in the UK". The ERTMS Programme Board (EPB), jointly chaired by the SRA and Railway Safety, oversees its ongoing work. HSE (along with DfT and ORR) has observer status on the EPB.

4. Background on the EPT April 2002 report can be accessed on the Railway Safety website at: www.railwaysafety.org.uk/ertms.asp. (No longer available)

5. HSC's most recent report on industry progress in implementing rail public inquiry recommendations was published in November 2002. It can be accessed on the HSE web site at: www.hse.gov.uk/railway/railpublic.pdf

HSE Research Reports are also available on the HSE's website at www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/index.htm.

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