Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

Statement on accident at Selby: Wednesday 28 February 2001

date 1 March 2001   source Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions   type Press release

With permission, Mr Speaker, I should like to make a statement about the tragic accident at Selby at about 6:20 this morning. I am grateful to the House and in particular the Opposition for giving me the opportunity to do so at this time which has allowed me to visit the scene this afternoon.

The latest casualty figures are 13 killed. There are 75 other casualties, 10 of whom are in a serious or critical condition.

I am sure that all members of the House will wish to join me in expressing our deepest sympathy to the injured and to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in this tragic and horrific accident.

When I visited the scene I saw for myself the tremendous efforts of our emergency services and the many agencies involved in dealing with the accident. As always they showed true professionalism, courage and efficiency in yet again the most difficult circumstances.

The House will want to join me in paying tribute to the North Yorkshire Police, working with the British Transport Police and other forces, the local fire brigades and ambulance services, the Royal Air Force's Air Sea Rescue Helicopters, and the local hospitals who treated the injured.

My Honourable Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department of Health, is visiting hospitals this evening and will be thanking hospital staff for their work today.

I also want to pay tribute to the way in which members of the local community responded so quickly with help and comfort to the passengers.

Let me turn to the facts of the tragedy in so far as they are known. At approximately 6:20am this morning a Landrover was travelling west along the M62 motorway, pulling a trailer carrying another car.

It left the motorway as it approached a bridge which crosses over the East Coast Mainline. The bridge is protected by crash barriers. But the vehicle left the road some 30 metres before the beginning of the crash barrier. It then travelled along and down the embankment behind the safety barrier before falling down the railway cutting and onto the railway track. In all, on present information, it is estimated that the vehicle travelled more than 100 metres from leaving the main carriageway before reaching the railway line.

The driver got out of his vehicle and phoned the North Yorkshire Police. As he was speaking to them the 04:45am GNER Newcastle to London train, carrying more than 100 passengers, collided with the vehicle on the track.

The passenger train left the rails as a result of the collision but remained upright. Almost immediately it then collided with an oncoming freight train.

The time between the emergency call and the first collision was some 40 seconds and the two trains crashed within seconds after that.

It is essential that this appalling tragedy is subject to the fullest investigation. There are a number of agencies involved in this - the Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate, the British Transport and North Yorkshire Police, and the Highways Agency. I have asked the Health and Safety Executive, therefore, to provide me with an interim report within the next few days. I shall then make a decision as to what further steps may be appopriate. I shall ensure that the report is made public.


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Railnews Archive ::: 2001-03-01 DET-001

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