RMT Wants In On Rail Safety Talks

Britain's largest rail union is calling for urgent talks with rail company Network Rail to protect track workers against runaway rail vehicles.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) issued a statement saying it has been "excluded" from talks to tackle the problem, following a road-rail vehicle running out of control for seven miles between Brentford and Romford in Essex on 4 November.

The RMT says 12 runaways have been recorded since four rail workers were killed by a runaway trailer in Cumbria in 2004.

RMT leader Bob Crow insists that Network Rail has not cooperated in discussions, expressing "anger and astonishment that the company had formulated a runaway's policy without seeking the views of the union representing most track workers."

"I have written three times to Network Rail since August seeking urgent discussions on additional protection for track workers, and I have not even had the courtesy of a reply," Crow says.

Network Rail insists it is taking the matter "very seriously" and has launched an investigation into the incident.

A modernisation programme to fit an automatic braking systems is nearing completion.

"This 12 month programme is 93% complete, with the rest of the fleet due to be modified in the next few weeks", a spokesperson for Network Rail told Railway-Technology.

By staff writer