July 2015
Fatalities
There were no passenger or workforce accidental fatalities during July 2015. There were 2 public
accidental fatalities:
On 11 July, a 16-year old trespassing on the line climbed on to a stabled train and came into contact with
the over-head line causing electrocution at Wrenthorpe (London North East). Two other trespassers were
injured in the incident.
On 22 July, a person was found with injuries consistent with falling from a cliff in Brighton wall sidings
(Sussex). Further investigation is underway to confirm the cause of death.
There were 20 suspected suicides during July 2015. The average monthly figure over the past 12 months
has been 25.3. Suicide figures are subject to change as more information (such as coroners' verdicts) is
made available.
Reportable train accidents: collisions, derailments and trains striking road vehicles
On 20 July, a passenger train struck an abandoned vehicle 100 yards beyond Clay Mills level crossing
(London North East), with two passenger minor injuries reported.
On 26 July, a passenger train derailed by all wheels of the lead vehicle after striking two cows, which were
on the line at Wye (Kent); the derailed carriage came to rest leaning at 45 degrees towards the cess, with
no reported injuries. RAIB are currently investigating the incident.
Precursors
During July 2015, there were 25 signals passed at danger (SPADs). This is 3 more than in July 2014. The
average monthly figure over the past 12 months has been 23.8.
Of the 25 SPADs in July 2015, 8 were risk-ranked potentially significant (16-19), and 2 SPADs were riskranked as potentially severe (20+).
In addition to the 25 SPADs, there were 98 other incidents where signals were passed at red (SPARs) in July
2015; there were 140 such incidents the previous July. Of these 98 SPARs, 84 were due to signalling system
reversion or replacement (system or human), and 14 were due to replacement of the signal in an
operational incident. There were no train runaway incidents.
Up to 27 July 2015 (the period end date), there was 1 broken rail reported.
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RSSB can help with safety data queries; please do not hesitate to contact us.
Produced by RSSB
Author: William Sharp
Phone 020 3142 5461
Email address: william.sharp@rssb.co.uk
Passenger
Workforce
Public
Passenger major injuries/billion journeys
350
300
250
313
297
275
258
250
234
232
Major injuries
200
150
132
123
122
128
114
128
130
100
83
56
38
50
40
36
47
45
42
34
11
0
2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016
(Apr-Jul)
* Public accidental fatalities include trespass and non-trespass, but exclude
fatalities at level crossings (which are shown separately).
60
Derailments and collisions
Collisions: non-passenger
Collisions: passenger in running
Derailments: non-passenger
Derailments: passenger
RIDDOR-reportable major injuries to each person type reported in SMIS. The
majority of passenger injuries occur in stations
Collisions: passenger low-speed
Derailment at crossing: non-passenger
Derailment at crossing: passenger
50
Potentially higher-risk train accidents
49
PHRTA/300 million train miles
42
40
6
2
3
12
13
3
8
33
1
6
1
1
4
2
7
3
1
5
30
8
9
1
4
1
13
2
7
11
35
32
25
3
20
16
3
3
1
2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016
(Apr-Jul)
18
9
10
0
2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016
(Apr-Jul)
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations
Statutorily reportable collisions (excluding roll back and open door
(RIDDOR) reportable cases only. Includes derailments at level crossings after collisions), derailments, buffer stop collisions and trains striking road
striking road vehicles. Does not include buffer stop and ‘open door’
vehicles. PHRTAs are normalised per million train miles.
collisions. Passenger low-speed collisions predominately occur at stations.
SPADs on or affecting Network Rail managed infrastructure.
The blue bars refer to trains striking barriers where a previous incident had
caused the barriers to encroach onto the running line, such as a road vehicle
striking the barriers.
RSSB can help with safety data queries; please do not hesitate to contact us.
Produced by RSSB
Author: William Sharp
Phone 020 3142 5461
Email address: william.sharp@rssb.co.uk