Belgian warning

Published: 11:21 AM February 25, 2010 Updated: 2:42 PM November 1, 2020

SIR – If the recent Belgian train crash had happened to a typical FCC service, I calculate that the passengers near the doors of the overturned carriages would find themselves trapped underneath two tons of injured co-travellers. And, in a head-on collisi

SIR - If the recent Belgian train crash had happened to a typical FCC service, I calculate that the passengers near the doors of the overturned carriages would find themselves trapped underneath two tons of injured co-travellers.

And, in a head-on collision, anyone stood against a partition would first have been impacted by the same two tons of humanity travelling at 90mph.

It would therefore be a great relief to the casualties - and the bereaved - to recall FCC's Neal Lawson's reassurance (Herts Advertiser, February 11) that his trains are "well able to cope with crush loads even more severe" than the current overcrowding.

Mr Lawson doesn't seem to realise that we passengers aren't built to such a high standard.

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Like running trains fast past scheduled stops, leaving passengers stranded, in order to meet performance targets, this seems to be another example of rail managers thinking more about their rolling stock than their customers' comfort and safety.

MIKE STEED