NETWORK RAIL chief executive David Higgins has promised to do 'what is necessary' to improve level crossing safety, after the company was fined £1 million for health and safety offences following the deaths of two teenage girls at Elsenham level crossing in 2005.

Olivia Bazlinton and Charlotte Thompson had been intent on catching a train when they were crossing the line at Elsenham station on 3 December. But another train was approaching at speed in the opposite direction, and both were killed.

The ORR brought a prosecution against Network Rail on the grounds that the company had failed 'to carry out proper assessments of the risks to the safety of members of the public using the footpath crossing or to have in place adequate arrangements to underpin these assessments'.

A subsequent report compiled by the Rail Safety and Standards Board revealed that a woman had been killed in a similar incident at the crossing in 1989, and that there had since been a number of 'near misses'.

A Railtrack manager had also drawn attention to the risks at the crossing in 2001, but his warnings had been disregarded.

Network Rail had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing before magistrates, and the fine was imposed by a judge at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday, who also said the company must pay costs of £60,015.

David Higgins said: "On behalf of Network Rail I apologise for the mistakes made by us in this tragic case that contributed to the deaths of Olivia and Charlotte. Nothing we can say or do will lessen the pain felt by Olivia and Charlotte’s families but I have promised the families that we will make level crossings safer, and we will deliver on that promise.

"Fundamental changes to the way we manage and look after the country’s 6,500 level crossings have, and are being made. In recent years we have reassessed all of our crossings and closed over 500. There is still much to do and we are committed to doing what is necessary to improve our level crossings."

Ian Prosser, who is director of railway safety at the ORR, added: "Network Rail failed Olivia and Charlie and their families by not addressing the safety risks at the crossing, and the consequences were devastating. It is right that the company has apologised and pleaded guilty to breaches of health and safety law that led to their tragic and preventable deaths.

“Safety on Britain’s railways is my chief priority – and while Britain’s railways are safe, and safety is constantly improving, it is vital that the whole rail industry continues to work together to ensure that incidents such as this do not happen again.

“I support Sir David Higgins’ moves since his arrival to enhance the safety culture at Network Rail, and his focus on driving safety improvements at level crossings.  But, as I have repeatedly said, if the regulator continues to have to step in to enforce safety improvements, or bring prosecutions where things have gone wrong – as we have already done this year – then, despite progress, it is clear that Network Rail has significant work still to do. 

“I would like to pay tribute to Olivia and Charlie’s families and to the inspectors at ORR for their dedication and perseverance over the years. I am determined that the whole rail industry focuses on pushing forward safety improvements."