Posted 31st January 2012 | 8 Comments
Network Rail lodges guilty pleas after crossing deaths
NETWORK RAIL has told Basildon magistrates' court that it is pleading guilty to three health and safety offences, following the deaths of two teenage girls on Elsenham level crossing in Essex just over six years ago.
The company has already apologised to the parents of Olivia Bazlinton, 14, and Charlotte Thompson, 13, who died when they crossed the line in the path of a fast train travelling from Birmingham to Stansted.
Another train had originally triggered the lights and alarms at the crossing, but the warnings continued after it had passed by.
However, the two girls opened the unlocked wicket gate alongside the closed barriers and started to walk across the tracks, intent on catching a train which was waiting at the opposite platform. There has been speculation that they could have thought the alarms were still sounding because of the presence of this train.
The layout at Elsenham has also been criticised because the girls had already been obliged to cross the line once to buy their tickets.
A wider controversy surrounds the history of safety enforcement at the crossing, where a woman was killed in 1989.
A Railtrack manager warned in 2001 that the crossing was dangerous, and the following year, after a risk assessment had been carried out, Railtrack was advised that 'consideration should be given' to linking the wicket gates with the crossing interlocking, so that the gates could not be opened when a train was approaching.
In February last year, after various documents including the 2002 risk assessment had come light, the ORR said it would be reopening the investigation, and this resumed inquiry has led to the prosecution of Network Rail.
Network Rail chief executive David Higgins said: "Last year I apologised in person to the families of Olivia and Charlotte. Today, Network Rail repeats that apology. In this tragic case, Network Rail accepts that it was responsible for failings, and therefore we have pleaded guilty."
The company is due to be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on 15 March.
Reader Comments:
Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.
Robert Carter, Arkport New york, USA
In France you often see a sign at a crossing "un train peut en cacher un autre"
It took me a long time to translate it properly but it tells you that one train may follow another, maybe we need similar signs in the UK.
I haver never seen this sign in the USA either.
Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
And while Network Rail gets castigated for this Mayor Boris Johnson can remove miles of railings from roadsides thus endangering children who may run into the road and noobody seems to care. Another example I suppose of where rail is expected to be perfect yet a few thousand deaths and injures on roads well thats the norm I suppose!!!
Anyway even if the gates were locked then there is nothing to stop people climbing over!
Surely the question is whether separate gates should be provided in the first place?
Andy, Leeds
Why is it that today's society seems to ignore the fact that people should be responsible for their own actions and personal safety. The signs on crossings clearly state if lights continue to flash then another train is approaching. I wouldn't dream of crossing a railway with warning lights flashing and without looking both ways just as I would crossing a road! I agree more can be done to improve safety but we need to stop this blame culture and place more responsibility on the individual.
Anonymous, Derbyshire
So, two people ignored warnings, and lost their lives. Yet, Network Rail are being made to pay due to "health and safety" breaches. It is the same foolish logic as drivers being procecuted because a pedestrian stepped out into the road and was run over.
Closing of crossings won't stop pedestians dying on railway, roads or bridal paths. In the past week, there have been two more fatalities at crossings. People need to be made culpable for their actions.
Attitudes that try to scapegoat do nothing to ensure safety and certainly do not save lives.
Paul Martin, York, England
This may sound harsh, but Network Rail are only guilty of assuming the public will pay attention to sirens / notices and light warnings at crossings. Sadly, they do not.
Robert palmer, Norwich
Yes, people should be responsible for their own actions, but until those in higher management are chared with corporate manslaughter or something similar they will hide behind the 'lower ranks' even though it is they who have made the decisions, either directly or through budgetry constraints!
Bob, Norwich.
Lee, Manchester
The deaths of the two girls were of course tragic, but I do think they should bear responsibility for their own misfortune to some degree. The warning bells were still sounding when they elected to open the barrier and walk across the line. I am not famikliar with the crossing but every pedestrian crossing I have been across has been equipped with signs warning pedestrians to look in both directions before crossing. I don't disagree that maybe some sort of interlocking device on the gates may be necessary, but people should take responsibility for their own safety.
Bob Norman, blackburn, england
it's high time the ORR showed some teeth and took a closer look at Network Rail and the running of it. Who athorised this alledged cover up? Why has it taken NR so long to admit responsibility? Some one needs to answer these questions. This is not the first time NR has tried to pass the buck just look at the Greyrigg derailment, there the local Supervisor was made to carry the can when all the time those above knew the reasons behind the incident. Make those at the top answer for a change.