Bedford train crash that killed driver and injured 162 sparks rail strike amid safety fears

A trade union has called strikes over safety concerns following the deadly Bedford train crash last month.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union has called for strikes throughout August, citing “growing safety concerns” with the new fleet of Class 810 Aurora trains.

The union claims the train has been “operating with a significant number of faults".

RMT alleges that a procedure used by drivers to clear one of the system faults resulted in key safety systems being switched off.

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The union confirmed strikes will take place the first three Saturdays in August.

Rail Magazine, citing a union document, reported the procedure that was highlighted by the RMT “effectively turns all train systems off, and then on again, causing a period of approximately 20 minutes where essential safety systems become unavailable.”

Drivers were told they must ensure the signaller was aware of the fault and that a track closure and alternative communication must be in place, the magazine reported.

Eddie Dempsey, RMT general secretary, has called for the trains to be taken out of service until 25 faults are fixed.

He said: “RMT is demanding that whilst these faults exist and until these trains are shown to be operating properly, they should be taken out of service.

“The company has even put out safety notices with no involvement, consultation or negotiation with our reps who represent those most at risk.”

A union spokesman listed a number of faults with the temperature in trains regularly reaching 30C, as well as issues with doors for passengers and the driver, non-operational toilets and faulty air conditioning.

East Midlands Railway operates the new fleet of Aurora trains, with EMR trains both being involved in the fatal crash that killed train driver Shaun Burton.

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The strikes come just days after EMR announced it was reducing services from London-to-Sheffield “until further notice.”

They said services were being cut due to problems with the Auroras, which were built by Hitachi Rail UK, and that it could not provide a full timetable.

Will Rogers, the managing director of EMR, told the BBC that the new trains’ performance had “fallen below the levels we and our customers expect” while insisting that the timetable change was “necessary”.

The Mayor for South Yorkshire, Oliver Coppard, criticised the operator over the service cuts, warning that passengers will face a “summer of chaos” as a result.

He continued to say he was “sick to death” of EMR service issues, adding “People are facing delays and inconvenience.

“We have thousands of people coming up to South Yorkshire this weekend for Tramlines, the biggest urban music festival in Europe, trying to work out how to get here.”

An EMR spokesman said: “Any suggestion that the Hitachi Rail Class 810 fleet does not meet the required safety standards is incorrect.

“These trains entered passenger service only after successfully completing all required testing and meeting the rigorous safety standards required by the independent regulator

“We recognise the Class 810 fleet has encountered performance and reliability issues in service and are working with the manufacturer, Hitachi Rail, to resolve these issues as quickly as possible.”

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