STATEMENT ON THE BERKSHIRE RAIL CRASH

11.59.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 8th Nov 2004

Our thoughts this week are with all those caught up in the terrible train crash in Berkshire over the weekend and their families and friends. As soon as I heard the news on Saturday evening, it was clear that many of the passengers might well be residents of our area. So waiting for the names of those who were killed or injured has been traumatic for all of us. How much worse it must have been for the families and friends, when they discovered that one of their own loved ones had been killed or severely injured.

In particular, our condolences go to the family and friends of Anjanette Rossi and her 8-year-old daughter, who died together in the accident. Anjanette will be sorely missed by all who knew her, not least by those whose work brought them in contact with her at West Berkshire Council.

The emergency services seem to have responded magnificently and worked tirelessly to deal with the aftermath of the crash. They include the medical staff at the scene and at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, the police and the fire services.

Of course the questions will now quite rightly start as to whether anything can be done to make the railways even more safe than they already are. Apparently this was the first time for 18 years that any rail passenger had been killed following a collision between a train and a vehicle on a level crossing. So the question must be asked why did the train topple over, instead of coming gradually to a halt still upright, as more normally happens following such a collision.

The investigation will no doubt centre around this and the question of why the vehicle was on the crossing in the first place. The railway authorities need to find answers to these questions, and to reassure us all that everything possible has been done to eliminate any remaining dangers. It is the least we can do in memory of those who died and for the sake of all those who lost a loved one or were themselves injured.