Berkshire rail crash

Alistair Darling has told MPs there is no evidence to suggest that the Berkshire rail crash was the result of any failure in safety systems.

Following an interim report from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the transport secretary said there were no signs that the accident could have been prevented.

He said there were no failures of equipment - describing the crash, which occurred after a driver stopped his car on the tracks at a level crossing, as a "tragic accident".

Darling expressed his sympathy for the seven people killed and praised the work of the emergency services.

"I would like especially to praise the work of the Thames Valley emergency services, and also the agencies who worked closely together to respond to the accident with well prepared contingency plans," he said.

"I am told that the first of the emergency services arrived at the scene of the accident within four minutes."

The HSE report, released on Wednesday, said: "HSE investigators have not found any evidence at this stage to suggest that there were any errors by railway staff or faults with the level crossing, the signalling system or the train involved in the incident.

"Early indications are that a car driver stopped his vehicle on the crossing before the barrier sequence commenced and made no attempt to leave the vehicle once the crossing traffic signals began to flash and the barriers descended."

Addressing MPs, however, Darling said the government would examine any safety recommendations which may emerge from further investigations into the accident.

"It is clear that this was a tragic accident. We owe it to those who were involved to find out the circumstances surrounding this accident. The Inquiries that have been put in place will seek to achieve this," he said.

"It is clear from the HSE interim report that this was not a failure of equipment.

"But if there are wider safety lessons to be learned, this will be for the RSSB Inquiry to establish and for the industry and government as necessary to pursue."

For the Conservatives Tim Yeo asked whether "there were any lessons to be learned about level crossings".

But he went on to warn that "this is not the time for knee-jerk reactions or hasty conclusions".

And he asked whether the use of safety belts could be "a practical way" to increase the safety of passengers who use the railways.