Re: Signaller causes SPAD

[antstig@my-deja.com]

In article <39cab29c$0$26525$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au>,
  "Tezza" <tezza2000@dingoblue.net.au> wrote:
> "Peter Dwyer" <peter.dwyer@qr.com.au> wrote in message
> > <antstig@my-deja.com> wrote in message
8qdv5s$raa$1@nnrp1.deja.com">news:8qdv5s$raa$1@nnrp1.deja.com...
>
> > > I've heard a rumour that anyone wanting to become a Line
Controller is
> > > asked "Would you break the rules in order to avoid delays to the
> > > service?"
> > >
> > > A "no" answer usually guarantees that the applicant is rejected.
> >
> >
> > A controller is usually considered to be the ultimate authority for
> > directing traffic on a railway line. If they say do it, they want
it done.
> >
> > Of course if something happens, then it's their responsibility too.
Part
> of
> > the job.
>
> If something happens they always get out of it. One of their stock
answers
> is "I wasn't given all the information".
>
> There was a good instance on Cityrail around 4 or 5 years ago. They
were
> trying to order Drivers to continue into the City Circle when there'd
been a
> bomb threat. Drivers were refusing and the controllers got quite
pissed off.
>
> Management then made a change to Safeworking that Drivers had to obey
> Controllers - they removed the phrase that said unless it contravened
> Safeworking or it wasn't safe to carry out the order. So once again,
> management put ontime running ahead of safety. The Union put a ban on
that
> amendment.

On LUL the driver has a legal duty to disobey any illegal or unsafe
instruction. If a driver obeys an unsafe/illegal instruction and an
incident happens he is held to blame along with the Line Controller.
(This was hammered into us at the Railway Training College although I
wonder if that is now the case). Needless to say quite often the
relevant tapes go mysteriously missing. They are always able to find
the tapes if it is the driver's fault alone!

Was CityRail reported to the railway authorities for this outrageous
breach of safety rules?

Are drivers ignoring the amendment as instructed by the unions or do
you have wimpish/lazy drivers like we do - most of which are fairly
recent recruits?

Regards

Frank
>


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