Investigation launched into red signal danger

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Punctuality is worse than under British Rail

An urgent investigation was ordered yesterday into the threat posed by trains passing red signals – the cause of both the Southall and Paddington rail disasters.

Rail inspectors at the Health and Safety Executive are concerned that some drivers are repeatedly passing signals at danger and that some signals are more prone to being passed.

The HSE has asked rail the engineering consultancy firm WS Atkins to look into what are described as "bad actors" – that is a signal that has been passed four or more times when it has been set at danger or a driver who has passed red lights two or more times in recent years.

The HSE said "bad actors" accounted for 61 per cent of the signals passed at danger in June 2001, compared with an average of 40 per cent for previous months.