Blood on the tracks. A train passed a red signal before ploughing into another service. The crash left several dead and many injured. Now the calls for rail safety reforms are deafening.
Whitehall sources confirm the signal was showing a danger aspect. The driver failed to stop. The system designed to prevent this, the Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system, was not fitted on that stretch of track. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) will have the final word. But the political damage is done.
Labour is sharpening its knives. Andy McDonald, shadow Transport Secretary, said the government has been “asleep at the wheel” on safety. He is demanding an urgent statement from the Transport Secretary. The Liberal Democrats want a full public inquiry. Tory backbenchers are nervous.
This is not the first such incident. The shadow of the 1999 Ladbroke Grove crash looms large. Then, a signal passed at danger led to a collision that killed 31. The subsequent inquiry led to reforms. But years of underinvestment and focus on profit over safety have eroded vigilance.
Network Rail’s boss is facing tough questions. The Transport Secretary is under pressure. The PM’s spokesperson dodged questions about the ATP rollout. It’s a ticking clock for the government.
Inside the department, officials are scrambling. The permanent secretary is reviewing the rail safety programme. There is talk of a dedicated safety tsar. But critics say that is window dressing.
The real story is about money. The Treasury has been reluctant to fund full ATP installation. The cost was deemed prohibitive. Now the cost is measured in human lives.
The unions see blood. Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary said “profiteering before people”. He called for renationalisation. That goes too far for the government. But they will have to offer something.
Watch for a package of measures next week. Likely: accelerated ATP rollout, a review of operational protocols, and maybe a new safety regulator. But will it be enough? The bereaved families will be watching.
The political calculation is cold. The opposition will milk this. The government will try to show action. But the stench of a preventable tragedy is hard to wash off.
This story is not going away. It will dominate the next PMQs. The Transport Secretary is in the eye of the storm. If he fails to sell a credible plan, his career could be on the line.
For now, the inquiry begins. The wreckage is cleared. The questions remain. Why did the signal not stop the train? Why was ATP missing? Why were lives put at risk?
The answers will be uncomfortable for those in power. Westminster is holding its breath.
