Engineers must lead rail network back to normal
A
The Engineering Council product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Dec 19, 2000
Engineers must lead and be seen to lead the recovery process in restoring the national rail network to normality, a briefing of MPs was told on 13 December.
Engineers must lead and be seen to lead the recovery process in restoring the national rail network to normality.
Only then will public and industry confidence be restored in the railway, Colin Brading, technical advisor to the Rail Regulator told an Engineering Council briefing of engineer MP's organised by The Institution of Civil Engineers in London on 13 December 2000.
'We must not underestimate the enormous challenge in restoring normal operations,' he said, 'let alone in establishing long term prevention.
Over 3,500 instances of gauge corner cracking, the probable cause of the Hatfield rail crash, have been identified on the network and a total of over 900 emergency speed restrictions imposed, more than 500 of which are still in force.' Malcolm Shirley, Director General of the Engineering Council added: 'Achieving this recovery will only be possible if recognised engineering management practice is restored to the heart of the rail business.
Engineers play a vital role in the nation's ability to operate a safe and efficient railway system'.
Mr Brading also told the meeting that even when the rail industry had managed to restore normal operations, it faced significant challenges in managing future issues where the current condition of the network could pose further risks of disruption.
Such issues had to be addressed by the rail industry corporately if confidence was to be restored.
He questioned whether the industry had enough of the right skills to address the work programme over the next few years.
Much experience across the industry had been lost and little training was now being undertaken to maintain the proper succession of engineering skills.
He urged the industry to think very seriously about training and issues of management as these were fundamental to solving current and future problems in the sector.
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