Seven people were killed and more than 60 injured when the tram, which was travelling at 45mph at a 12mph speed limit bend, derailed and turned over.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report published in December last year concluded that excessive speed caused the tram to crash, and made 15 recommendations intended to ensure that a similar accident could not happen again. The recommendations included:
- review potential for new technology, such as automatic braking and systems to monitor driver alertness
- better understanding the risks associated with tramway operations, particularly when the tramway is not on a road, and the production of guidance on how these risks should be managed
- improving the strength of doors and windows
- improvements to safety management systems, particularly encouraging a culture in which everyone feels able to report their own mistakes
- improvements to the tram operator’s safety management arrangements to encourage staff to report their own mistakes and other safety issues
- reviewing how tramways are regulated
- a dedicated safety body for UK tramways
The meeting in Manchester on 22 January will bring together organisations including tram operators, the Department for Transport, the Rail Safety and Standards Board and Transport for London, to discuss the most efficient method of implementing RAIB’s recommendations.
Ian Prosser, ORR Chief Inspector of Railways, said:
"The safety of passengers and staff on trams is the number one concern of the ORR and everyone else in the industry.
"This meeting will bring together all of the organisations involved in improving tram safety to agree an action plan."
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Notes for editors
- The Office of Rail and Road is the UK’s rail regulator and strategic roads monitor for England. Follow us @railandroad.
- The ORR and British Transport Police currently have separate investigations into the accident.