History made after full year with no rail industry-caused fatality

For the first time in history, a full year has passed without a rail industry-caused fatality in the UK.

Office of Rail and Road HM Chief Inspector and Director of Railway Safety Ian Prosser told RAIL: “Eight years ago, not long before I started, I mentioned in my interview that I wanted to set the industry a vision of zero industry-caused fatalities to workers, the public and passengers. For the first time in history, the last financial year , we’ve achieved it.”

While the last passenger fatality on the railway was in 2007, when a Pendolino derailed at Grayrigg (Cumbria), last year (which was also the 175th anniversary of the Railway Inspectorate) was the first year that there were no industry-caused fatalities of rail workers.

Prosser said that while this is a great achievement, it is important the industry does not become complacent as ‘close calls’ occur.