Written question asked by Lord Campbell-Savours (Labour) on Thursday, 14 December 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 21 December 2000. It was answered by Keith Hill (Labour) on Thursday, 21 December 2000 on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what assessment he has made of the implications for safety in the national rail network arising from not using angle probe techniques in the ultrasonic testing of railway lines; if ultrasonic testing of railway lines at the site of the Hitchin crash included angle probe ultrasonic testing in the period prior to the crash; if ultrasonic testing of railway lines on site throughout the UK rail network included angle probe ultrasonic testing as a matter of routine.

Answer: Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of the implications for safety in the national rail network arising from not using angle probe techniques in the ultrasonic testing of railway lines; [143560] (2) if ultrasonic testing of railway lines at the site of the Hitchin crash included angle probe ultrasonic testing in the period prior to the crash; [143558] (3) if ultrasonic testing of railway lines on site throughout the UK rail network included angle probe ultrasonic testing as a matter of routine. [143559] Mr. Hill: Railtrack advise that angle probe techniques are applied in ultrasonic testing of railway lines and these testing procedures are contained in Railtrack's Line Standards RT/CE/S/055.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 360 c304-5W; 143560;143558;143559
Session: 2000-01
Subjects: Accidents Railways Railway network Railway track Safety Safety measures Repairs and maintenance Testing
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk