Carmont RAIB interim report: We must learn lessons

TSSA General Secretary Manuel Cortes has welcomed the interim Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report into the tragic derailment at Carmont near Stonehaven in 2020 and urged governments and Network Rail to learn the lessons from the report.

Manuel Cortes said: 

"The derailment at Carmont last year was a terrible tragedy and we must learn the lessons from it. This interim report from the RAIB shows that staff in the Control Centre, MOM, asset inspectors and signallers had all done their jobs in the way instructed, but there are clearly questions left to be answered.

"The situation that day was greatly exacerbated by the atrocious weather, caused by climate change. It is essential that both Westminster and Holyrood governments address the causes and consequences of climate change, investing in greener economies and in the urgent repairs and upgrades we need to protect our railways against future flooding.

"Nothing can bring back the driver, conductor and passenger who lost their lives that day. But we can, and we must, prevent such a tragedy occurring again."