Potters Bar crash ’caused by poor maintenance’
An official report has today concluded that ‘poor maintenance’ led to the Potters Bar rail crash.
76 people were injured and seven lost their lives when the Kings Lynn bound train derailed just outside the Hertfordshire station on May 10th 2002.
The third report into the crash from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) firmly asserts that points ‘had been poorly maintained’.
It found that nuts on a vital set of points were missing, causing the points to fail catastrophically.
Jarvis, the contractor who was tasked with the maintenance of the stretch of track where the tragic event took place, had maintained that sabotage should not be ruled out.
The engineering company first made the claim ten days after the crash involving the West Anglia Great Northern train – six days after the HSE’s initial report.
The points involved in the crash have been the subject of extensive examination at the HSE laboratory in Buxton, Derbyshire.
Today’s report – which draws on 23 technical reports – concludes there is no evidence for Jarvis’ claim and firmly signals poor maintenance procedures as the overriding factor that led to the tragic derailment.
In a detailed account of the points failure, the HSE explains that when the rear wheels of the third coach travelled over the points the wheels on each axle were forced in opposite directions forcing part of the third and the entire fourth carriage off the track.
Worryingly, the report signals a ‘wider problem’ with the discovery of ‘maintenance deficiencies’ in other sets of points in the Potters Bar area.
The first report on the derailment was published just four days after the crash and the second more detailed report was made public in July last year.
Both reports concluded that there was no evidence to support Jarvis’ claims and this is reinforced today.
The report has prompted union leaders to call for Jarvis to be held to account.
Mick Rix, general secretary of the train drivers’ union ASLEF said: ‘Jarvis today stands condemned twice over. First, it must answer the charge that it bears the prime responsibility for the dreadful Potters Bar crash, caused by poor management of maintenance work.’
‘Second, it has tried to obscure its own failings by raising entirely unsubstantiated allegations about sabotage – a move designed to prop up its share price rather than help get at the truth.’
‘Today’s announcement makes it urgent that Network Rail complete the task of bringing all maintenance work back in-house and re-establishing the safety standards associated with public ownership. Certainly, Jarvis should be booted out of the industry – train drivers have no confidence driving over tracks this company maintains.’
Alongside the HSE investigation, a police inquiry, dubbed ‘Operation Declare’, continues.
A team of 28 British Transport Police officers have been responsible for collating evidence ‘around a number of lines of inquiry’. They have taken more than 1,300 statements and DNA profiling of part of the track has also been carried out.
The findings are due to be presented to the Crown Prosecution Service in August.
