Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Network Rail regarding the provision of supporting evidence to the Office of Rail and Road setting out the steps taken in implementing safety recommendations following the train derailment at Stonehaven, near Carmont, during August 2020.

Shortly after the tragic train derailment near Stonehaven in August 2020, Network Rail commissioned Dame Julia Slingo and Lord Robert Mair to recommend improvements that would help better manage extreme rainfall risk. The reports, and Network Rail’s improvement programme plan to act on them, were shared with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) and Department for Transport (DfT).

In February 2022, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch and a specialist industry team made further recommendations following an investigation into the incident. This additional work has been incorporated within the improvement programme and ORR and DfT officials have received updates as the plan has developed.

Network Rail have maintained regular formal and informal dialogue with ORR and DfT to support their monitoring and keep them aware of the good progress that has been made. In addition, ORR and DfT representatives sit as observers on Network Rail’s programme oversight board.