Crash driver was inexperienced'

10:04am Wednesday 2nd May 2001

A TRAIN driver's inexperience has been blamed for the rush-hour rail crash which injured nine people near Hither Green station.

The result of a Health and Safety Executive investigation into the collision between two Connex trains on March 14 shows the accident could have been prevented by the Train Protection Warning System.

But the inquiry also found it was the first time the driver had worked a full shift on his own.

The 7.58am Sevenoaks to Cannon Street service passed a signal at danger at 40mph and ran into the path of the 8.08am train from Crayford to Cannon Street.

The driver of the Crayford train applied brakes but was not able to stop before hitting the side of the other.

The HSE concluded the “underlying cause” was the Sevenoaks driver's inexperience, despite completing the usual 225 hours accompanied driving and various assessments.

It said he may have been distracted by a message given to him by the signaller at London Bridge earlier.

He may have been “subconsciously” misled by the fact the train was not scheduled to stop at Hither Green, and was too busy considering the radio message that he failed to respond to the signalling.

The HSE said Railtrack should review signallers' instructions with drivers over the cab radio, to minimise distractions. It also said Connex should include “out-of-course” events simulations in training as soon as possible.

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