CHRIS MATHER
Solicitor for Southall train crash victims
’John Prescott’s reputation is at stake. When the report on the Clapham
crash came out in 1989, then Secretary of State for Transport Cecil
Parkinson said the findings should be implemented, and that finance was
not a problem.
This included, in particular, Automatic Train Protection. John Prescott
has now said money will not stand in the way of the best safety system
when the recommendations come out of the enquiries. But governments do
say these things, then when the dust has settled, let the issue
drop.
Prescott has to ensure his words are followed through. The Government
decides on the safety regime and is responsible for ensuring it is
implemented.
However bad any of the rail companies are, they are operating within a
hierarchy that has been laid down by Parliament.’
PHILIP DEWHURST
Railtrack
’I would like to express my greatest sympathy from those in the industry
to those who suffered as a result of this tragedy. This terrible
accident is so enormous in its impact that thinking about scapegoats is
not relevant at this time. It is something both the rail industry and
the Government will have to work very hard to overcome. It is not a
question of an individual reputation or apportioning blame. All needs to
be done to ensure that confidence in rail travel is restored and
maintained.’
MIRANDA PAGE WOOD
Phipps PR
’A lot of time has been spent apportioning blame. The fact is, the
public has, over the years, deserted the railways for the car;
successive Governments responded by moving investment elsewhere.
Railtrack and the operating companies are just pawns in the process,
with their reputations already in tatters. It is the Government’s
reputation which is now at stake. The Government has done well recently
to achieve broad consensus over its transport policy of switching people
from roads to rail - we have reluctantly accepted that delays may be
inevitable - but the public cannot be expected to accept compromises on
safety. The real test of the Government’s credibility will be how it
responds to the call for investment in the next few days or weeks.’
ALAN HYDE
GNER
’There is a shared sense of shock and grief across the industry and our
deepest sympathies go out to the families and friends of the bereaved
and injured. The priority for all - the railway industry, Health and
Safety Executive, regulators and the Government - is to find out
urgently exactly what went wrong, to learn lessons and, collectively, to
take every possible step to prevent such a horrific accident ever
happening again. Apportioning blame is not perhaps the best thing to do
at this early stage. Both Lord Cullen’s public enquiry and Sir David
Davies’ review of early warning systems are to be warmly welcomed. The
communications challenge for the whole industry is to win back any lost
public confidence at a time when increasing number of passengers are
choosing to travel by rail.’
