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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Rail accident inquests to be held | Rail accident inquests to be held |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Two "independent inquests" are to be held into rail accidents at Potters Bar in Hertfordshire and Grayrigg in Cumbria, the government said. | Two "independent inquests" are to be held into rail accidents at Potters Bar in Hertfordshire and Grayrigg in Cumbria, the government said. |
| Seven people died and more than 70 were injured on 10 May 2002 when a train derailed at Potters Bar. | Seven people died and more than 70 were injured on 10 May 2002 when a train derailed at Potters Bar. |
| In February 2007, one woman died and and 82 people were hurt when a train derailed near Grayrigg. | In February 2007, one woman died and and 82 people were hurt when a train derailed near Grayrigg. |
| The relatives of some of those killed in the two accidents had been calling for joint public inquiry. | |
| Former transport secretary Geoff Hoon said in May that a Potters Bar inquiry should be held "as soon as possible". | Former transport secretary Geoff Hoon said in May that a Potters Bar inquiry should be held "as soon as possible". |
| It's scandalous that it's taken years of campaigning to get a confirmation of full inquests Bob Crow, RMT general secretary | |
| The Department for Transport (DfT) said the new Transport Secretary Lord Adonis had decided "that two independent inquests will ensure complete public scrutiny of the Potters Bar and Grayrigg accidents". | The Department for Transport (DfT) said the new Transport Secretary Lord Adonis had decided "that two independent inquests will ensure complete public scrutiny of the Potters Bar and Grayrigg accidents". |
| The DfT said the Secretary of State believed that the two inquests "will ensure that lessons are learned and acted upon and as such are as effective as a public inquiry". | The DfT said the Secretary of State believed that the two inquests "will ensure that lessons are learned and acted upon and as such are as effective as a public inquiry". |
| BBC transport correspondent Tom Symonds said the hearings will be "Middleton" inquests. | BBC transport correspondent Tom Symonds said the hearings will be "Middleton" inquests. |
| This type of hearing investigates the broader circumstances of a death or deaths, rather than the immediate causes. | This type of hearing investigates the broader circumstances of a death or deaths, rather than the immediate causes. |
| Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT rail union, said: "It's scandalous that it's taken years of campaigning to get a confirmation of full inquests... and the RMT will be holding the government to their word and demanding that they fix the earliest possible date for the inquests to begin. | |
| "We have consistently called for a joint public inquiry into Potters Bar and Grayrigg which includes an examination of the safety impact of the privatisation and fragmentation of the rail industry." | |
| Points failure | |
| The Potters Bar accident happened when a West Anglia Great Northern high-speed train travelling from London to King's Lynn in Norfolk was derailed as it went over faulty points. | The Potters Bar accident happened when a West Anglia Great Northern high-speed train travelling from London to King's Lynn in Norfolk was derailed as it went over faulty points. |
| Six passengers died and a pedestrian was killed when debris fell on to the road beneath the track. | Six passengers died and a pedestrian was killed when debris fell on to the road beneath the track. |
| An accident report by the Health and Safety Executive in May 2003 blamed poor maintenance for the points failure, with earlier inspections not spotting defects in the points. | An accident report by the Health and Safety Executive in May 2003 blamed poor maintenance for the points failure, with earlier inspections not spotting defects in the points. |
| In October 2005, the Crown Prosecution Service said it had advised British Transport Police that there was no realistic prospect of conviction for an offence of gross negligence manslaughter against any individual or corporation. | In October 2005, the Crown Prosecution Service said it had advised British Transport Police that there was no realistic prospect of conviction for an offence of gross negligence manslaughter against any individual or corporation. |
| An initial report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) in the Grayrigg crash blamed a faulty set of points. | An initial report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) in the Grayrigg crash blamed a faulty set of points. |
| A later inquiry by Network Rail, released in September last year, found systematic failures in track patrolling and management. | A later inquiry by Network Rail, released in September last year, found systematic failures in track patrolling and management. |