Call to suspend service after rail death sparks safety alert

From Harrow Observer

March 18 2010

TRANSPORT union leaders have called for Tube trains to be suspended on
the overground section of the Bakerloo line in the wake of a death at
Kenton station.

Margaret Mortimer, an 83-year-old retired shop assistant who lived at
Stanmore Residential Home in Jersey Avenue, Stanmore, jumped from the
platform into the path of an oncoming southbound service that struck
her and caused fatal multiple injuries at about 9am on Friday.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT)
alleges alerts from the driver went unanswered and it took 20 minutes
for the electrified third rail to be turned off so the emergency
services could get on the track safely.

It is now advising its members that, if they feel unsafe, they do not
have to drive any further north than Queen's Park - including all nine
remaining stops to Harrow and Wealdstone.

However, Transport for London (TfL) denied there were any safety
issues and accused the RMT of "meaningless scaremongering".

In a drivers' briefing, the union said: "As a result of the way this
[incident] was dealt with, the RMT safety reps have serious safety
concerns regarding the operation of our railing on the Network Rail
section

of the line. The driver on the front made four unanswered mayday calls
to the Network Rail controller. As yet we have had no explanation of
how this could happen.

"This raises serious safety concerns about the functionality and
operability of the Connect [radio] system on the Network Rail section.

"It took over 20 minutes to get traction current discharged."

The union was not happy with the way the incident was dealt with by
station staff and has asked London Underground to suspend services
north of Queen's Park.

In the meantime, the union said it would support drivers who use their
legal right to refuse to work on health and safety grounds on the over-
ground section.

TfL, however, said the radios were tested and found not to be faulty
and that it was investigating the response times to the driver's
mayday messages.

A spokeswoman said: "The trained member of staff who was on duty dealt
with the incident in an exemplary manner and has been commended for
her actions."

The inquest into Mrs Mortimer's death was adjourned to November 24.
.................................................. ....................................
John Burke
WRUG