ATOC

Rail industry welcomes Deputy Prime Minister's statement on safety
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date 19 October 1999
source ATOC
type Press release

In a joint statement, Railtrack and the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) have welcomed the statement by the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, on rail safety made in the House of Commons this afternoon. The industry undertook to continue working together to learn from the Paddington accident and to implement the necessary changes.

Railtrack and ATOC welcomed in particular the Deputy Prime Minister's initiative of calling a "safety summit" on 25 October, involving all participants in the railway industry.

They also announced that yesterday's Lewes accident would be examined at the first meeting of the all-industry National Safety Task Force. The task force will consider whether the accident has wider lessons for railway safety. The task force intends to seek discussions with staff representatives, the Health and Safety Executive and passenger groups as part of this wider examination.

Railtrack and ATOC are already committed to co-operating fully with the inquiry established by the Deputy Prime Minister under the chairmanship of Sir David Davies.

The industry is determined to do everything in its power to restore the reputation of Britain's railways as among the safest in the world.



ENDS

For further information please contact

ATOC Press Office:
Tel. 0171 904 3010

Railtrack Press Office:
Tel. 0171 557 8292 / 8293

Railhub Archive ::: 1999-10-19 ATO-001