Checks ordered across rail network following Stonehaven train tragedy

Network Rail has been ordered to inspect high-risk trackside slopes across Britain following the Aberdeenshire crash which left three people dead.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps visits the scene near Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, following the derailment of the ScotRail train which cost the lives of three people. PIC: Ben Birchall/PA Wire

The infrastructure body, which runs tracks and signalling on the rail network, will use in-house engineers, specialist contractors and helicopter surveys to assess dozens of sites with “similar characteristics” to the stretch of railway where an Aberdeen to Glasgow service derailed near Stonehaven on Wednesday.

Network Rail was warned about its resilience to severe weather just four weeks before the incident.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) noted a spike in landslips, demonstrating the “vulnerability” of the railways.

It said there were six times more flooding events during 2019-2020 when compared to the 12 months before.

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said at the Stonehaven crash scene today (Thursday) that the checks would be carried out over the next “hours and days” and that he had given Network Rail until September 1 to send him an interim report on the resilience of the rail infrastructure against extreme weather events.

He said he as aware of the ORR report.

Mr Shapps said: “The report said something that we all know to be true, that the climate is changing, flash floods are increasing, the hot weather, the balmy summer we have been having. All these are factors.

“One of the things I have asked Network Rail to do immediately, in the next few hours and days is to do a very quick resilience check to make sure there isn’t another situation like this and to see if they can identify any issues.

“I have ordered a report from them, an interim, on my desk by September 1, where I want them to check the resilience of the whole UK network with a final report in the autumn.

Scottish Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “They (Network Rail) are well aware of our views about the need to make sure that we are taking forward the right types of mitigations that help to manage a challenge of these types of localised, intense weather events.

“I think one of the things we will see what comes from the investigation is whether the pace of that type of mitigation work needs to be stepped up.”

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