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| 'Railway accidents happen because someone makes a mistake' | 'Railway accidents happen because someone makes a mistake' |
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| In Britain, after a decade without mass train passenger fatalities, some might wonder what is going wrong in mainland Europe: the horrific scenes outside Santiago de Compostela on Wednesday coming within two weeks of the crash in Brétigny-sur-Orge, south of Paris. Safety has been paramount in the UK since Railtrack was disbanded after the 2002 Potters Bar crash, the culmination of five bleak years when rail disasters seemed annual events. | In Britain, after a decade without mass train passenger fatalities, some might wonder what is going wrong in mainland Europe: the horrific scenes outside Santiago de Compostela on Wednesday coming within two weeks of the crash in Brétigny-sur-Orge, south of Paris. Safety has been paramount in the UK since Railtrack was disbanded after the 2002 Potters Bar crash, the culmination of five bleak years when rail disasters seemed annual events. |
| But experts say there is nothing more than coincidence to link France and Spain's rail disasters. Although some fingers were pointed at a lack of investment in conventional railways in France – by no less than the head of SNCF, the French railway company – the route in Spain was completed only within the last two years. | But experts say there is nothing more than coincidence to link France and Spain's rail disasters. Although some fingers were pointed at a lack of investment in conventional railways in France – by no less than the head of SNCF, the French railway company – the route in Spain was completed only within the last two years. |
| Although the causes of the crash are still unknown, early indications suggest that it is down to human error. The Spanish train is believed to have been travelling at 190km/h on a stretch of curved track where 80km/h was the safe limit. Although Renfe, the Spanish train operator, has yet to confirm the speed, the line of inquiry for investigators appears clear, says Sim Harris, managing editor of Railnews. "Why was the driver going at that speed? Was there a train control system in operation? If so, why wasn't it working – and if not, why not?" | Although the causes of the crash are still unknown, early indications suggest that it is down to human error. The Spanish train is believed to have been travelling at 190km/h on a stretch of curved track where 80km/h was the safe limit. Although Renfe, the Spanish train operator, has yet to confirm the speed, the line of inquiry for investigators appears clear, says Sim Harris, managing editor of Railnews. "Why was the driver going at that speed? Was there a train control system in operation? If so, why wasn't it working – and if not, why not?" |
| The class 730 train is designed to run on electrified, high-speed lines or via a diesel engine on slower lines. At the curve before Santiago, the high-speed line joins the standard track – a point where two safety systems also switch. Wednesday's crash may have occurred in a transition zone between ETCS – the standardised European train control system that electronically relays information to the cab and drivers on high-speed services – and Spain's own automatic brake and signal warning system. | The class 730 train is designed to run on electrified, high-speed lines or via a diesel engine on slower lines. At the curve before Santiago, the high-speed line joins the standard track – a point where two safety systems also switch. Wednesday's crash may have occurred in a transition zone between ETCS – the standardised European train control system that electronically relays information to the cab and drivers on high-speed services – and Spain's own automatic brake and signal warning system. |
| David Briginshaw, editor-in-chief of the International Railway Journal, said that it was far too early to know the cause. "All modern trains have automatic protection designed to prevent trains passing red signals or exceeding the speed limit. If the train was found to be exceeding the speed limit for that section of the route, it is very strange for it to be doing that – and for the driver not to be aware that the train was doing that." | David Briginshaw, editor-in-chief of the International Railway Journal, said that it was far too early to know the cause. "All modern trains have automatic protection designed to prevent trains passing red signals or exceeding the speed limit. If the train was found to be exceeding the speed limit for that section of the route, it is very strange for it to be doing that – and for the driver not to be aware that the train was doing that." |
| According to Professor Roger Kemp of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a derailment would be expected at 190km/h on such a curve: "The big question is why the train was running at more than twice the speed limit. There must have been at least prominent visual warnings to reduce speed, if not audible warnings and an electronic speed supervision system." | According to Professor Roger Kemp of the Royal Academy of Engineering, a derailment would be expected at 190km/h on such a curve: "The big question is why the train was running at more than twice the speed limit. There must have been at least prominent visual warnings to reduce speed, if not audible warnings and an electronic speed supervision system." |
| Philippa Oldham, head of transport at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said that while investigators would look at signalling, speed advice systems and the driver's role, factors such as "rail breakages, train defects or damage caused by vandalism … could have contributed to the accident". | Philippa Oldham, head of transport at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said that while investigators would look at signalling, speed advice systems and the driver's role, factors such as "rail breakages, train defects or damage caused by vandalism … could have contributed to the accident". |
| Previous incidents have often involved a combination of factors, said Jim Steer of Greengauge 21, "almost always involving human error at some level". He dismissed suggestions that lack of investment could be affecting rail safety in Europe. Instead, he cautioned: "You may have spent the money but if you've made an error laying the track or installing the safety systems then something like this can occur. It's tragic but railway accidents happen because someone makes a mistake." | Previous incidents have often involved a combination of factors, said Jim Steer of Greengauge 21, "almost always involving human error at some level". He dismissed suggestions that lack of investment could be affecting rail safety in Europe. Instead, he cautioned: "You may have spent the money but if you've made an error laying the track or installing the safety systems then something like this can occur. It's tragic but railway accidents happen because someone makes a mistake." |
| Human error can't be eradicated even with the best warning systems, according to Dr Guy Walker, a lecturer in transport and infrastructure at Heriot-Watt University. He points to three accidents in Britain on a bend of similar proportions, the Morpeth curve – all down to speeding and driver error: "Often disasters arise because people act in apparently rational ways. Increasingly technology can intervene but drivers can often override these warnings – and the Ladbroke Grove rail crash showed that the presence of frequent warnings led to drivers getting into the habit of cancelling or ignoring them. If anyone was put in that situation you could predict that behaviour." | Human error can't be eradicated even with the best warning systems, according to Dr Guy Walker, a lecturer in transport and infrastructure at Heriot-Watt University. He points to three accidents in Britain on a bend of similar proportions, the Morpeth curve – all down to speeding and driver error: "Often disasters arise because people act in apparently rational ways. Increasingly technology can intervene but drivers can often override these warnings – and the Ladbroke Grove rail crash showed that the presence of frequent warnings led to drivers getting into the habit of cancelling or ignoring them. If anyone was put in that situation you could predict that behaviour." |
| In Spain as in the UK, train drivers receive "road-learning" for every track they travel. The driver would have been certified not just for his Renfe train, but for the exact route, which he had covered for a year. | In Spain as in the UK, train drivers receive "road-learning" for every track they travel. The driver would have been certified not just for his Renfe train, but for the exact route, which he had covered for a year. |
| If two major accidents in succession should have given any potential travellers concern, Oldham pointed out that rail causes far fewer deaths and injuries than car travel. | If two major accidents in succession should have given any potential travellers concern, Oldham pointed out that rail causes far fewer deaths and injuries than car travel. |
| Briginshaw added: "Britain isn't doing anything that European countries aren't. Accidents in both France and Spain are very rare and Europe takes safety very seriously – standards are extremely high." | Briginshaw added: "Britain isn't doing anything that European countries aren't. Accidents in both France and Spain are very rare and Europe takes safety very seriously – standards are extremely high." |
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