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More Than 500 people were injured, as two trains head-on, after a train driver missed a red signal on 5. October, 1999

A Paddington rail disaster survivor said, he is afraid of safety standards can slip, 20 years after The Crash .

thirty-one people died When two trains missed collided nearly head-on after a driver of a red signal on 5. October 1999.

In 2018-19, 304 trains passing through red signals, a 10-year high, according to

"The Risk now is that the standards might fall," said Jonathan Duckworth, Chairman of the Paddington Survivors group.

He was one of 227 people, which collided in the hospital as his First Great Western train with another train at Ladbroke Grove, about two miles from his destination of Paddington, in a combined speed of about 130 mph.

'Running'

In the 10 years to 1999, The Number of signals Passed at danger (Spads) More Than halved, from 593 to 273.

But The Number has begun to crawl, and July 41 Spads, More Than one day saw the highest number in a single calendar month for 12 years.

the UK has said "one of the safest rail networks in Europe", railway minister Chris Heaton-Harris.

He added: "We are constantly learning How To get to our cars safe, is that The Legacy of a terrible disaster such as this.

"But the disasters that could happen at any time. Therefore, it is one of my many jobs is to ensure we have the security hardwired in every decision that you Make . "

Emergency services freed, 20 trapped survivors and took Eight Days to clear The Scene of The Crash .

A 70-Meter wall of fire engulfed the two trains as the fuel caught fire after the collision around 08:10 CEST on Tuesday morning, 20 years ago.

"We went through a massive ball of fire. I was told to feel The Heat coming through the Windows," Mr. Duckworth.

"I had no idea what was going on. I thought maybe it was a bomb.

"We have derailed and overturned, so that our coach at the end on his side.

"to get It was a bit of a fight back. It is not easy to Get Out of an overturned car. "

When he saw held Mr Duckworth "smoke rolled out of the charred car" lying on their sides, such as the police and rescue workers swarmed over the wreck to try to locate trapped survivors.

It would take days to remove all the bodies from the wreck.

The outcry that followed, led to the greatest security, the reform of the railway network.

A series of complex public requests culminated in two reports of Lord Cullen.

The investigation into The Crash found it was caused by the Thames Trains service travelling from Paddington passing a red signal.

Cullen, But Mr, The Crash of the climax of "catalogue of failures was the castle".

He levelled severe criticism at Thames trains for its "slack and less than adequate" safety culture". It was fined £2m in 2004.

Railtrack, Network Rail 's predecessor, was accused of a "lamentable failure" to introduce safe signal systems in the entrance to Paddington Station .

Mr Cullen leveled fierce criticism of the rail industry for "a catalogue of failures" over known rail-safety-issues

Paddington is supposed to be, was a watershed, but a series of fatal rail crashes followed in Hatfield in 2000, at Selby in 2001 and at Potters Bar in 2002.

The Paddington Survivors group, Set Up to the victims and bereaved families to cope with trauma, continued to improve rail safety.

Under the pressure of The Group , a train protection warning system trains stopped by red signals are the industry standard.

The Group worked with The Office for road and Rail, and Network Rail 's restructuring of the industry in The Wake of The Crash .

Network Rail , which replaced Railtrack in 2002, was fined £4m in the year 2007 for health and safety breaches in the run-up to the Paddington crash, after years of conquest by The Survivors group.

number of red signals passed trains

by severity

source: Office of Rail and Road

to see in addition to July, which has seen the highest number of Spads for More Than a decade, in the last 12 months, with 10 trains that pass red signals and reach the "conflict point" - The Position along The Track , a collision could, in theory, take place.

The average of the last Five years has been between four and Five .

the car overturned, like the two trains created A memorial garden, partially overlooking The Site of the rail crash

the concern about the increase led to write the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) and Network Rail and all train and freight operating companies.

Mark Phillips , RSSB's chief executive, said the 20-year anniversary of the disaster was "a timely reminder of what can go wrong if we keep our eyes on The Ball ".

"We must, with a view to the current train protection technology and initiatives in the industry, and questions whether enough is being done," he added.

Mr Duckworth said: "The danger now is that it does not fall could be a serious rail crash for 20 years, standards and the focus can change.

"must recognize The industry that safety is of great importance, because although these incidents do not happen anymore, When they occur, they are devastating. "

network rail, rail travel, paddington

Source of news: bbc.com