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Railways: Potters Bar Derailment

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport (Alistair Darling) has made the following Ministerial Statement. On 23 May 2005, in response to a Question from the honourable Member for Hertsmere, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State informed the House that I expected to be in a position to decide whether to hold a public inquiry into the Potters Bar derailment once the Crown Prosecution Service had decided whether to bring   prosecutions. On 17 October 2005, the Crown Prosecution Service announced that it would not be bringing any prosecutions. After careful consideration, I have decided that there should not be a public inquiry into the rail accident at Potters Bar on 10 May 2002 in which seven people died. Three investigations into the accident have taken place, by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the British Transport Police and the Rail Standards and Safety Board. The HSE interim reports made recommendations in order to avoid a similar accident in the future and I am satisfied that these recommendations have been acted upon. In addition, the coroner intends to hold a full inquest, which will take place as soon as the necessary arrangements can be put in place. I have agreed, if necessary, to fund his costs. I do not therefore believe, on legal or general policy grounds, that it is necessary or appropriate to hold an inquiry in this case, or that such an inquiry would reveal more information on the cause of the accident than is already available. The Health and Safety Executive recognises rail safety has improved and, when responsibility for safety enforcement is transferred to the Office of Rail Regulation, it will continue that work. Since the accident, Network Rail, the company that replaced Railtrack, has taken steps to improve maintenance and ended the practice of contracting it out to separate companies. Network Rail now takes direct responsibility for maintenance of the rail network.