How has the situation improved?

There are many ways in which the situation has improved over the past dozen years, largely thanks to initiatives from drivers and their union.

The Richards of today do get more consideration, although (unfortunately) I will still have to end with a ‘but’.

It was just over ten years ago, precisely around the time of Richard’s enforced departure from his job, that Andy Botham (a driver and ASLEF rep) started taking an interest in the issue.

He started asking around the industry to ascertain whether there was any type of set procedure to deal with the impact of fatalities on drivers. And it was just as Richard had found - there was nothing… no support, no clear policy, great variations between different train operators, and generally a laissez-faire approach.

Worse, there was not even any record of when drivers were involved: As Andy put it: “If a driver had a SPAD [Signal Passed at Danger], then it would go on his record and a new employer would be informed about it. But a driver could have three or four fatalities, and that would not be recorded.”

So, working with Samaritans, his union and (crucially) driver managers, Andy began to devise an industry-wide procedure on driver impacts in the aftermath of fatalities.

The crucial first step was training with all the various parties involved - the drivers, as well as managers and the unions. The training, delivered by Samaritans and specifically tailored to coping with the aftermath of rail fatalities, has been undertaken by more than 1,000 rail industry employees.

There is also a booklet given to all drivers, setting out what help is available after a fatality and ongoing help.

Andy’s initiative was recognised at RAIL’s National Rail Awards in 2013, when it was adjudged Safety Achievement of the Year.

Andy adds: “There is, too, now ongoing support. Managers are expected to keep in touch with drivers.”

In the past, management would be in a hurry to get people back to work, but it was for the wrong reason - to save money. Now, says Andy, there is a common interest: “It is good for drivers to start working again. The longer they leave it - even if it is just going for a cab ride to get back on track - the more difficult it becomes to return.”

Given the high numbers, Andy says that new drivers today are rightly warned that this may well happen in their careers. It helps to prepare them for if it does happen.

Of course, prevention (also an area where there has been much improvement) is very important, but fatalities will still occur. And as Andy warns: “We are coming up for a period of recession, and that’s when things are going to get worse.”

And he has a specific concern. The funding for the training courses has been cut and currently no courses are being run. It is vital that they should be restarted, and any senior managers reading this column should make sure they are.