Standard exposé leads to inquiry

A major investigation has been launched into Evening Standard revelations about the shocking safety standards on our railways.

Evening Standard told yesterday how rail employees boasted of working illegal double shifts of up to 20 hours a day, an employee in charge of looking out for oncoming trains ignored the line and a workman in charge of site safety admitted he was so fearful of the horrific condition of the track he refused to travel by rail himself.

As MPs and unions demanded the Government take urgent action in the light of our report, the firms implicated in the scandal sought to extricate themselves from the " appalling" safety breaches described in the report.

But, as they did so, relatives of two Potters Bar rail crash victims demanded that the Government hold an urgent public inquiry into the tragedy and into rail safety.

Following our revelations:

? As Railtrack launched a top-level inquiry into each of the firms and employees named in our report, major rail employment company Bridgen admitted there was "truth" in the report and vowed to undertake a "thorough" investigation.

? John Abbott, Railtrack's director of safety and assurance, is today summoning Bridgen's chief executive Paul Kehoe to discuss the report.

The firm, which is alleged to have knowingly employed rail workers on illegal double shifts, was yesterday ordered to hand Railtrack detailed accounts of staff payments for the past month.

? Railtrack spokesman Kevin Groves said: "We are looking at Bridgen's previous audit results and we are now going to put them on close monitor. Every single contractor mentioned in the report is being investigated. We have worked hard to crack down on this kind of sloppy workmanship. We take this investigation very seriously."

? Carillion, the company that owns rail recruitment firm Sky Blue and rail maintenance firm GTRM, vowed to launch a "rigorous" investigation. Sky Blue failed to check our reporter's references. John Denning, Carillion's director of corporate affairs, said: "The points made are valid. If people are found not to be doing their job properly, it will be followed up. I promise things will be put right."

? Jarvis, the company responsible for maintaining the stretch of line where the fatal Potters Bar crash occurred, denied breaching guidelines by offering a shortened safety course. But Railtrack said it was demanding Jarvis produce all the paperwork for the course undertaken by our reporter.

Mick Rix, leader of the train drivers' union Aslef, called on both the Government and the Strategic Rail Authority - which has overall responsibility for Britain's railways - to study the report. He said: "The Evening Standard report seems to be a shocking indictment of the continued mismanagement of the railway infrastructure. It seems that sections of the industry are unwillingor incapable of learning from past disasters. The Government and the SRA should take urgent action to end this scandal before more passengers are endangered."

Tom Brake, Liberal Democrat spokesman for transport in London, said: "The Evening Standard's investigative work reveals a series of alarming rail safety failures. The report highlights in very stark terms why the Government's failure to address concerns about the lack of consistent safety standards among contractors should ring alarm bells for all passengers."

Bob Crow, leader of the RMT, largest of the rail unions, said our report highlighted "appalling" standards by maintenance contractors. He said it backed union claims that the maintenance contractors were not being managed or inspected properly by Railtrack.

Theresa May, Tory shadow transport spokeswoman, said: "This is a very worrying story which needs to be investigated quickly."

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