TRANSPORT secretary Geoff Hoon will announce a decision on whether there should be a joint public inquiry into both the Grayrigg and Potters Bar rail crashes in early 2009.

Mr Hoon is looking at three options following the publication of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch report into the 2007 Grayrigg crash in Cumbria.

The options are to reopen the inquest into the Potters Bar crash of 2002 in which seven people died, to hold an inquiry into the Potters Bar crash or to hold a joint public inquiry into both of the accidents.

The RMT rail union has released a statement calling for a joint inquiry into the two accidents, the causes of which are similar.

The union said the similarities between the two crashes, and the coroner’s decision last year to adjourn the inquest into the seven deaths at Potters Bar in 2002 pending the outcome of the Grayrigg investigation, highlight the need for a joint public inquiry.

Mr Hoon said in his statement to the House of Commons: “All RAIB investigations include a review of previous similar occurrences and the action taken in response to any related recommendations. In this context the RAIB reviewed the investigation into the accident at Potters Bar on May 2002.

“I will consider the detail of the report carefully and take a decision on the most appropriate way forward, both with regard to the accident at Grayrigg and the derailment at Potters Bar, the inquest for which was adjourned in February 2007 pending the outcome of the investigations into Grayrigg. 

“I will also write to the affected parties shortly to seek their views and anticipate announcing my decision to the House early in the new year.

“I appreciate that this will mean a short further delay for the relatives of the bereaved, and I regret this. However, I consider it essential to ensure that the way forward is one that will deliver closure to those who were affected, as soon as possible.

“I am sure that the House will agree that it is important that full consideration is given to the inspector’s report, and that the right decisions are made on how to proceed.”

In his statement RMT general secretary Bob Crow said:
“It is now abundantly clear that systematic management failings, lack of resources and the fragmented ‘contract culture’ still prevalent on the railway all played their part in the complex of causes of the Grayrigg derailment.

“Network Rail’s spending targets have been slashed by 30 per cent over the last five years and we have raised concerns about the workloads placed on individuals on a number of occasions.

“The improvement notice served on NR last year made it clear that experienced track-inspection staff were being hampered by inadequate management of the inspection regime across the network.

“The report points out that staff had complained before the crash at the lack of track access due to timetable changes, and that hard-pressed staff were forced to squeeze too many inspections into a few hours on a Sunday morning.

“It also says that considerable overtime was required to provide the numbers needed to undertake and provide lookouts for inspections, and points to the obvious link between long hours and performance.”

Network Rail has said that since the Grayrigg accident the whole process of inspection, audit and assurance has been improved and changes into the organisational structure implemented.