Network Rail statement on Lewes and Wickford derailments: pubic urged to ‘avoid speculating’ on cause of any incidents
Network Rail has issued a statement regarding derailments in Lewes on Thursday, August 13, and near Wickford on Friday, August 14.
Martin Frobisher, Group Safety & Engineering Director at Network Rail, said: “We are currently responding to a derailment incident near Wickford station in Essex, and we are working quickly to understand the situation and to provide assistance where needed. Two carriages have derailed but remained fully upright, and there are no significant injuries reported.
“I appreciate the public will be concerned at the news of two derailments of passenger trains over a short period of time, but I want to reassure them that Britain’s railways still rank among the safest in the world, and that safety is always our first consideration on the railway.
“Our thoughts remain with everyone affected by yesterday's significant incident at Lewes. I want to thank the teams from across the rail industry and emergency services who have been working around the clock to provide assistance and support to those who need it, as well as the response from the local community.
“The Rail Accident Investigation Branch is conducting an investigation into the derailment at Lewes, and has investigators on scene at the Wickford incident. We would ask people to avoid speculating on the cause of any incidents until further information is available. We will also conduct our own internal investigations, in which we will look at all possible causes and factors.
“The unprecedented hot and dry weather that we have experienced this summer has presented exceptional challenges to the railway. In response, we have taken several additional proactive steps to manage and mitigate the impact on the railway, including closely monitoring the temperature of tracks, implementing speed restrictions where it is appropriate to do so, and planning track renewals around high temperatures.
“Our continued focus remains on supporting those affected by these incidents, working at pace to understand the causes, and doing all we can to get services back running safely as quickly as possible.”