Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) chief inspector Simon French joins NCE senior reporter Catherine Kennedy to discuss the final report into the fatal Carmont derailment in August 2020.

The accident occurred after a passenger train collided with debris washed from a drain onto the track following very heavy rainfall. Tragically three people died and the remaining six people on the train were injured.

French reflects on the key learnings from the report, which found that a drainage system and associated earthworks constructed by Carillion had not been built in accordance with the original design and so were not able to safely accommodate the water flows on the morning of the derailment.

He considers the importance of change management and the challenges posed by extreme weather, before reflecting back on how the rail industry has changed and improved since the RAIB was first set up.

He also reflects on what the industry still needs to address in terms of improving safety and fully embracing a safety culture going forward.

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