HSC welcomes second report on UK development of the European Signalling System

HSC press release: C020:04 - 18 May 2004

The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) today welcomed a report from the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA)-led team developing a European signalling system that will incorporate the safety benefits of a national automatic train protection system.

Bill Callaghan, Chair of HSC, said: "I am pleased to see that good progress is being made in a number of important areas in the development of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). And I very much welcome the close co-operation between the various parties involved in this project; it is evident from this report that rail industry partners are working well together. HSC will continue to monitor the industry's progress beyond these early stages of UK ERTMS development towards its national roll-out."

In 2000, the Southall and Ladbroke Grove Joint Inquiry into Train Protection Systems, chaired by Lord Cullen and Professor John Uff QC, recommended that ERTMS should be fitted to high-speed lines by 2010 and other main lines by 2015.

In February 2003, following an independent review of the rail industry's proposals to develop ERTMS, HSC advised Government that a national automatic train protection system could not be fitted to the rail network in the timescale envisaged by Lord Cullen and Professor Uff. HSC also confirmed it would independently monitor the progress of the national ERTMS programme led by the SRA with the rail industry.

Last year also saw the successful completion of a programme of TPWS (Train Protection and Warning System) fitment across the network as required by the Railway Safety Regulations 1999. TPWS is an interim train protection system that provides some of the benefit of automatic train protection (ATP). TPWS has already successfully prevented some potentially serious collisions. HSE is also currently agreeing with the industry a programme of fitment of TPWS+ that will provide additional safety benefit at higher speeds.

Notes to editors

1. The Southall and Ladbroke Grove Joint Inquiry into Train Protection Systems, conducted by Lord Cullen and Professor John Uff QC, recommended that ERTMS should be installed on those parts of the rail network where trains run over 100 mph, by 2010. Their Inquiry also recommended health and safety regulations to motivate the industry to meet this timescale.

2. The rail industry responded by establishing an ERTMS Programme Team, whose report was published jointly by the Strategic Rail Authority and Railway Safety in April 2002. This proposed a longer timescale for ERTMS and development of a version - Level 2 - that the industry considered would also provide capacity and performance benefits as well as safety. HSC announced its intention to review the report and to seek wider views (see HSC press notice: C015:02 of 25 April 2002). Both the findings of this work and the HSC's subsequent advice to Government were made public - see press releases HSE E007-03 dated 14 January 2003 and HSC C004-03 dated 5 February 2003. Further information on ERTMS can be found on the HSE website at its 'Train protection' page at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/railways/liveissues/tps.htm. This work is now being taken forward by NEP (the National ERTMS Programme) and HSE attends meetings of NEP as an observer to monitor progress.

3. The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) is responsible for the administration of the Health and Safety at Work etc., Act 1974. HSC oversees the work of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that enforces health and safety law, reviews the adequacy of health and safety law and submits to government proposals for new or revised regulation. HSC is also charged with oversight of the implementation of all the recommendations made by both Lord Cullen and Professor Uff in their Reports into the Southall and Ladbroke Grove Public Inquiries.

4. Copies of 'The Joint Inquiry into Train Protection Systems' by Professor John Uff QC FREng and the Rt Hon Lord Cullen PC, are available on the HSE website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/railways/spad/lgri1.pdf

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