RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2948
OF 05023OZ AUGUST 88
RESTRICTED
інкс
HKC 172/1
RF
FAUG 1988
2)
137052
MDHIAN 9497
@
TOP COPY
DIOT 7
LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT: ACCIDENTS
1. THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP REPORT TO TELNO 2838 DATED 26 JULY 1988. THE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY THE UK DEPUTY CHIEF RAILWAY INSEPCTING OFFICER, MR ALAN COOKSEY, TO LOOK INTO THE CAUSES OF THE FATAL ACCIDENT ON 25 JULY 1988 HAS BEEN COMPLETED. THE INTENSIVE TECHNICAL INVESTIGATION AND TESTS OF THE SIGNAL CONTROL SYSTEM FOUND NO FAULT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE REPORT REVEALED THAT NEITHER THE LIGHT GOODS VEHICLE DRIVER NOR THE LIGHT RAIL VEHICLE DRIVER WAS VIGILANT ENOUGH WHERE THE SIGNAL SYSTEM WAS OPERATING IN THE NORMAL CONDITION. THE INVESTIGATION REPORT THEREFORE CONCLUDED THAT THE ACCIDENT MUST HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY AN ERROR ON THE PART OF ONE OR BOTH OF THE DRIVERS. THERE IS, HOWEVER, INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH WITHOUT REASONABLE DOUBT WHICH DRIVER WAS PRIMARILY AT FAULT.
2. HOWEVER, MR COOKSEY HAS RECOMMENDED THAT:
(A) THE TRAINING AND ABILITY OF ALL LIGHT RAIL VEHICLE DRIVERS SHOULD
BE REVIEWED:
(B) THE SECONDARY SIGNAL AT THE JUNCTION WHERE THE ACCIDENT HAD OCCURRED SHOULD BE REPOSITIONED AND THAT SIMILAR SITUATIONS WHICH MAY EXIST AT OTHER JUNCTIONS BE IDENTIFIED AND THE NECESSARY ACTION
TAKEN:
(C) MORE PUBLICITY SHOULD BE LAUNCHED TO EXPLAIN MAJOR AND COMPICATED CHANGES TO THE ROAD JUNCTIONS AND TO ADVISE AND HELP THE ROAD USERS TO CROSS THE JUNCTIONS IN AN APPROPRIATE MANNER: AND (D) CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO REQUIRE THE FITTING AND WEARING OF SEAT BELTS IN THE FRONT SEATS OF LIGHT GOODS VEHICLES.
3. BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY CORPORATION HAVE ACCEPTED THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND HAVE ALREADY TAKEN IMMEDIATE STEPS TO IMPLEMENT THEM.
4. THE CORPORATION WILL REVIEW THEIR DRIVER TRAINING PROGRAMMES WITH A VIEW TO PROVIDING REGULAR REINFORCEMENT ON THE TRAINING OF DRIVERS. BRIEFINGS ON NEW TRAFFIC CONDITIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED TO
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