Our ref: HSR
Head Office Circular: NP/188/24
24th July 2024
To: The Secretary
ALL BRANCHES
REGIONAL COUNCILS
Dear Colleague
RAIB REPORT: UNSAFE MOVEMENT OF A TRAIN AT STYAL, MANCESTER
I recently received from RAIB (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) their report: “Unsafe movement of a train at Styal, Manchester”.
In connection with this, at its meeting on 23rd July 2024, your National Executive Committee noted and adopted the following report from its Health and Safety sub-committee from when they met to consider the matter:
We are concerned that the RAIB report ‘Unsafe movement of a train at Styal, Manchester’, fails to consider whether training for conductor guards on Northern was an issue that led to the incident. Instead, the report is almost entirely train driver focused, thereby playing down the safety critical role of the guard as set out in the railway rule book.
Given this we instruct the General Secretary to write to RSSB explaining our concerns. Additionally, the General Secretary to raise this issue at any future meeting with RAIB.
Branches and Regional Councils to be informed accordingly.
I am acting in line with these instructions. Please bring this circular to the attention of all relevant members.
Yours sincerely
Michael Lynch
General Secretary