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Warning over Tube safety as trains go through red lights
Dick Murray27 Aug 2009
Tube bosses have been warned they face prosecution after a string of safety failings on a key line.
Underground bosses have been told to dramatically improve safety on the District line after three trains passed red “danger” signals and key procedures were not followed. Two breaches were on consecutive days.
The Railway Inspectorate, the regulator responsible for safe Tube travel, told managers they must come up with a plan to prevent more signals being passed at “danger” or face legal action.
The inspectors also uncovered evidence which apparently shows that the official report of one incident differed from the automatic voice recordings of what drivers and signalling staff said at the time.
The three scares which happened this year, were:
At West Kensington on 23 February a train set off an automatic braking system, which means the signal is treated as being passed at red even if it is not. Points were not secured, risking a derailment. Communications were described as “poor”.
The next day, at Earl's Court, a westbound service passed through a signal at red in error.
On 17 March a train was ordered to pass a red signal after a points failure without the authorisation of the appropriate senior manager.
In the aftermath of each signal being passed Tube workers apparently failed to follow strict rules on what to do, including securing points to prevent derailments. The Evening Standard has seen a letter from Quentin Cole, the railway inspector who oversees Transport for London, which warns that these three failures may not be the only ones.
He wrote to senior Tube manager Jill Collis to warn that she must come up with an improvement plan by 15 September or face legal sanctions. The ultimate sanction open to the regulator is to close the line after other options are exhausted.
“These are not isolated occurrences — I am aware of other similar incidences,” he wrote. “My concern is that LU has clear rules for carrying out safety-critical procedures but these rules are not being followed.”
He said the Underground “should ensure that its rules are followed at all times”. Failure to do so would “seriously undermine” the regulators' confidence that the Tube is being run safely.
Mr Cole warned that he has listened to the voice recordings made automatically after a red signal is passed of conversations between drivers and signalling staff. At least one of the recordings “conflicts” with the report made by Tube staff, he said.
Steve Grant, LU district organiser for Aslef, the train drivers' union, and a former Tube driver, asked to comment by the Standard, said: “We have repeatedly warned of the dangers of putting train service above safety of passengers.
“It seems the reports of some incidents have been falsified or covered up and this gives me great concern. LU must take action immediately. The consequences of not doing so would be disastrous.” A spokeswoman for Transport for London said: “LU has an excellent safety record and safety is our top priority.
“We take the Office of Rail Regulation's concerns very seriously and will be investigating them thoroughly. We will respond to the ORR once those investigations have been completed.”
Reader views (35)
Albert Hall ... How about huge bonuses paid in the city to people who nearly brought the country to its knees this year. What a well thought out soloution "Let's computerise it" my god you should be running the country Albert.
- James, London, 28/08/2009 12:50
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I reckon don't get rid of the drivers, just get rid of their attitude on how they are the most important thing on London underground.
And getting up at 4am, how is that excuse? How about lorry drivers? They must get up silly hours as well and they dont have a track to guide them where to go, they actually have to stay on the road and not hit something!
- Josh, London, 28/08/2009 10:49
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i love how a lot of the commenters here are advocating driverless trains. Just what we need while the economy is down, more job cuts. SPADs are not inherently dangerous because of the safety equipment in place, which is maintained by the engineering staff at night. Not to mention the days or weeks of shutdown while the driverless system is installed, plus the cost of modify the existing trains (or even buying new ones) to run on the system. The public wants it all, yesterday, with no distruption to the current service. But when your working with antiques, it just doesn't work like that. Try thinking about the implications of these things.
- Nathan, Harlesden, London, 27/08/2009 23:28
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What would you do if your train broke down, with no member of qualified staff on board?
Whilst automated trains are accurate, they are just as likely to break down as any other train.
Computers break down!
Perhaps all those that are portraying such ingnorance should have the aforementioned happen to them, and maybe they'll stop taking train operators for granted.
The Victoria Line 09 stock is soon to fully introduce it's new stock which is still driver operated, is likely to be kept for a minimum of 25 years. After all, TFL are going to want full use from it!
The Circle, Metropolitan and District Line S - Stock trains are also driver operated, due for introduction between 2010 - 2016.....looks like it could be a while before an fully automated train is introduced on the underground!
"Time to get rid of the drivers and go over to computer controlled trains. Save millions in wages as well. Forty grand a year to press a handle and then they miss the signals. Time to tell Mr Cole that his job is on the line together with the drivers."
Albert Hall, that is still going to be a while yet, not even the new Thameslink route trains are going to be fully automated, only the Central London section (between St Pancras - London Bridge) will be, where the driver re-takes the controls.
Not even the Docklands Light Railway is exempt from strike action!
- Anon, London, 27/08/2009 20:30
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djTube said:
"ATP didn't prevent hatfield or any other major rail disaster since the 1950's."
ATP has only been around since the 1990's and is no where near fully implemented.
Perhaps you are confusing it with the older and obsolete AWS (Automatic Warning System.
- Kevin Mcgowan, Woodinville, USA, 27/08/2009 18:53
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I think we should have talks and hold a strike ballot!
- Bob Crowe, London, 27/08/2009 17:57
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Albert Hall - could you possibly explain why the position of Quentin Cole, railway inspector overseeing TfL should be under threat.
There will always be a case for an independant safety inspectorate on the railway, regardless of whether metro trains become fully automated or not.
Perhaps you haven't done your research - or are you another frustrated wannabe driver who failed the assessment?
- Jim, London, UK, 27/08/2009 17:37
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@ Jim, London, UK
Would you like some onions with that?!
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 27/08/2009 17:24
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I'm a train driver but not for LU and the company I work for has very few SPADs. However, I think it's important to get a few points straight before we get too hysterical. Firstly, let's be clear about what a SPAD is. Most SPADs are when a train passes a red signel by, perhaps, a cab length...the equivalent of straying over the white line at traffic lights. This can be a result of carelessnes, if we're honest, but more often things like greasy rails etc. When a SPAD is mentioned, we often visualise a train hurtling past a signal at great speed but this is seldom, if ever, the case. Indeed, on LU and on main lines, this is now virtually impossible due to trip-cocks on LU and TPWS on other lines. Another major reason for SPADs is bad siting of signals. This was that primary cause of the Ladbroke Grove crash and has since been largely addressed on main lines. And, please, the fact that drivers now get decent pay is completely irrelevant...humans will always be humans regardless of how much they are paid...ask any professional footballer! And in any event, it is a comparatively recent phenomena for drivers! There has been lots of research into the cause of SPADS and they are now extremely rare. The fact that there were three in quick succession on the District Line is unusual and unfortunate, but unless we know the reasons behind them, we can't really pass judgement.
- Wayne K, Milton Keynes, UK, 27/08/2009 16:47
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David from Huntingdon, try living in South London, it's much the same, 2 trains an hour and no tube, I don't know what you're complaining about.
- Bob, Cheam, 27/08/2009 16:09
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Frank and Alan - always amusing to read your ignorant ill-informed comments.
I wonder why you have such resentment of TfL staff.
Did you fail the interview?
Oh dear, back to flipping burgers then............
- Jim, London, UK, 27/08/2009 15:47
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Time to get rid of the drivers and go over to computer controlled trains. Save millions in wages as well. Forty grand a year to press a handle and then they miss the signals. Time to tell Mr Cole that his job is on the line together with the drivers.
- Albert Hall, hove england, 27/08/2009 15:35
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Very difficult to lay the blame at any individual. Do you blame the driver who maybe by midday has been out of bed for some 9 hours with maybe 2 hours more work to do, the job is mentally draining at any time of day, more so when you are tired, or do you blame management for all the pressures put on front line staff that comes with trying to run a intense service on infrastructure that clearly needs updating. Lets face it no driver would set out to go through a red signal on purpose putting their own job on the line, its not that which causes a dangerous incident, trains having the emergency brakes applied after passing a red signal will stop short of another train, its the instructions the drivers then receive from signalmen / controllers that can cause a dangerous incident. Of course line controllers want to get the service moving as quick as possible to avoid big delays and it does not help when the only contact is a dodgy radio or telephone system. I know when I travel on London's underground what a driver earns does not enter my head all I want is a safe and quick journey.
- Dave, Isle of Wight, 27/08/2009 14:15
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Many of your correspondents have no idea how lucky they are in London. We have no tubes in Huntingdon, and no buses much after 8pm, and we have two trains an hour to London for some of the day, the rest of the day and at weekends it is one per hour. We also have engineeering workd each Sunday so it takes three hours to get to London for work. So Londoners should be pleased with what they have got, recogonise the tube is in many cases over a hundred years old, and he plain facts are much of it needs upgrading. Like it or not some of it has to be done weekends. Oh it is such a tough world in London isn't it.
I live away from London and accept we will have less transport, I state it as an example, as you just do not realise with so many tube lines, buses, trams, river boats, all day and all night buses, just how luck you are!
- David, Huntingdon, 27/08/2009 14:14
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"tiredness from being awake at 4am on an early shift!..
- Train Driver Ian, London, United Kingdom"
Ian, if tiredness from arising early is an issue, then may I suggest getting to bed earlier. If eight hours sleep is attained but tiredness persists then may I suggest maybe ones diet needs attention, less caffeine, more vitamins etc. If that doesn't work, may I suggest a new career, because I don't want to be on a train being driven by someone that claims "its not always the drivers fault (sic))", that is fatigued by fulfilling the first, and simplest part of their terms and conditions.
- Escobar-Alop-Lop, Camden County, 27/08/2009 13:32
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Oh come on Mick you can't blame Boris Johnson for the systematic failures of a management structure and of staff all of which were put in place long before he was elected. By your politically motivated logic then we should also be seeing the back of the entire utterly useless shower that have the gall to call themselves a Labour government. Still at least we all know that they won't get re-elected, just like the appalling Livingstone didn't.
- Matt, London, UK, 27/08/2009 13:30
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More systematic failure of our infrastructure under this incompetent and useless government. No doubt labour have propelled an unqualified labourite to the top job and as usual they are unfit for the job. Reminiscent of that other failure & labour stooge - Willie Walsh at BA. When will labour understand that their utopian social engineering policies simply do not work?
- Margy, London, 27/08/2009 13:19
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Also, if there is no signal at all, isnt that a signal at danger and shouldnt you stop there either way until you have given authorisation to pass?
- Josh, London, 27/08/2009 13:12
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I am interested to know what the vast numbers of overpaid staff at Transport for London are actually doing to improve our Underground. Very little is the answer. We pay high taxes, unfair congestion charges and ridiculous parking fees on the pretext that investment is improving the Underground. Well, the policy has failed. Trains are slower and services more unreliable than I can remember. The senior management of TfL should hang their heads in shame but of course they won't and instead will look forward to yet another bonus for failure.
- Simon Ellis, London E8, 27/08/2009 13:02
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To Ian: Dont you drivers get route trained so you know where every signal is on your line..?
- Josh, London, 27/08/2009 13:01
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It'll cost a lot but can we not just automate the entire system, less crashes, cheaper, more efficient and NO BOB CROW!
Mick, are seriously suggesting that driver error is Boris Johnsons fault? Do you blame him for the weather too?
Train driver Ian, I'm sure there are many things which can distract a driver but I'm pretty sure that you're paid £40k per year because of all of theings you've listed, how about professionalism?
- Bob, Cheam, 27/08/2009 13:01
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Mick - how easy it must be to be able to lay the blame for everything in London at Boris Johnson's feet. Do you really believe this is his faul - really? As long as you can't be bothered to spend time finding out the real causes there will be real solutions. But I guess that would suit some people as they could carry on moaning and moaning and moaning and give themselves a good pat on the back about how right they are. Really useful for society at large.
- Mikkiduk, Hackney, London, 27/08/2009 12:54
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At Train Driver Ian
Automatic Train Protection (ATP) doesn't work in an area where you are constantly approaching signals at danger (as it relies on the majority of signals being at green from at least 50metres away) on the underground system, where signals are not really more than 100/150 metres apart and would thus be detected by the ATP all the time. Thus the alarm will be constantly going off and being silenced.
ATP didn't prevent hatfield or any other major rail disaster since the 1950's.
Train stops (or the automatic breaking) on the underground have meant that there has not been a serious accident that resulted in death or injury because trains go through red signals!
Don't get me wrong trains should stop at Red Signals but to suggest that the Automatic Train Protection system used on national rail would help shows that you don't understand either the ATP or the Tube system!
- Dj Tube, London, 27/08/2009 12:52
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The strike following disciplinary action against a driver who breached safety rules shows an institutionalised disregard for passenger saftey on the part of the union concerned.
This must change with both LU management and unions putting saftey at the top of their list of priorities and being prepared to dismiss drivers who persistently fail to follow procedures.
- Simon, london, 27/08/2009 12:42
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Strange that "elf and safety" are never around when needed. But oh dear do not get a worker to stand on the second step of a step ladder without a safety harness, helmet and after spending a training course on how to climb a step ladder, and they will be out in force issuing fines.
- Patricia, LONDON, 27/08/2009 12:41
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London Underground signalling is very old. On ALL mainline systems there is an automatic system that warns the driver, by an alarm and coloured indication in the cab for when they are coming up to a danger or caution signal. This works via radio signals communicated between trackside and cab equipment. This system has been in place since 1956 on the mainline systems, even the Newcastle metro uses it when running over mainline tracks. However on LUL there is no such system in place, even when LUL trains run on the mainline tracks ! This is why there are more SPAD's on the LU network. There are many things that can distract drivers, radio noise, passenger alarms, tiredness from being awake at 4am on an early shift! Also on LUL there are many asset failures that cause SPAD's, i.e. if the red bulb blows on a signal in the tunnel, a driver won't know it is at danger because he won't see the signal at all, until he passes it and the brakes come on! Or if the signal goes back to red by mistake/failure!.... its not always the drivers fault !
- Train Driver Ian, London, United Kingdom, 27/08/2009 12:08
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Sack those responsible! -If a culture of indifference has already developed, disciplinary action will only cause resentment. -Passenger safety is too important to be compromised!
- Huggy, Cumbernauld Scotland, 27/08/2009 12:04
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Bumbling Boris Johnson fails again. This overpaid fool should resign so that Londoners can elect a competent Mayor. Then again they elected Bumbling Boris.
- Mick, London, England, 27/08/2009 12:00
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I hope the drivers that went through the red lights will have been disciplined heavily for risking passengers lives though I'm sure the unions would send them all on strike if any real action was taken. They seem to be a law unto themselves.
Frank & Alan, you hit the nail on the head.
- James, London, Maida Vale, 27/08/2009 11:29
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Im not sure why they would close the District line, as this is a drivers error.
Simply investigate the drivers and keep the line running, its being close enough as it is.
- Josh, London, 27/08/2009 11:24
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Difficult to concentrate on red and green lights when you have money worries at home due to poor salary
- Richard, Reading, 27/08/2009 11:10
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Maybe LU should implement a policy of annual fare hikes to perform necessary repairs & training...
Calgon, please take me away...
- Andre, london, 27/08/2009 10:56
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and yet Aslef and the like campaign on behalf of these drivers to get their (nearly 50k a year) salaries continually increased! - I think it demonstrates that the "intensive" training the drivers undertake in order to warrant such exorbitant salaries is clearly not intensive enought.
Im surely not wrong is saying that these incidents are due, mainly to driver error? This is yet ANOTHER argument for making ALL LU tubes automated and driverless and thus prevent any more strikes in the process.
(having said that, LU cant even manage to keep the network running on any given weekend so i hugely doubt that they could ever actually deliver improvements for the increasing tick prices.
- Alan, London, 27/08/2009 09:58
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As large stretches of the District line are already regularly closed at weekends, would we notice the difference?
- Andrew, London, UK, 27/08/2009 09:54
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Red = Stop
Green = Go
Well I suppose drivers are only being over £40K, perhaps if we paid them MORE money they would be able to stop at red lights?
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 27/08/2009 09:47
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