So far I haven't raised questions about the state of the actual train equipment and station infrastructure. Having spoken to rail staff I can see that it's crucial to clear up these issues before the change in rail operations due in August.

The text of the letter is as follows:

"Dear Chris

Safety concerns regarding Driver Only Operations

With the switch to Driver Only Operation (DOO) trains on rail lines used by my constituents due to come into force in only just over a month’s time, I’m writing to highlight grave concerns about the impact this switch might have upon the safety of passengers. I’m aware that this matter has been given some consideration by the ORR and by the industry-funded RSSB, but I have outstanding questions as to whether safety issues have been fully resolved. In particular, whether the stock and equipment that will be in place when the change to DOO happens next month are actually adequate for the task.

I’ve been told that none of the stock, including the new 387 Gatwick stock, meets the standard for DOO trains as laid out in the RSSB June 2014 report ‘RIS-2703-RST – Rail Industry Standard for Driver-Only Operated On train Camera/Monitor Systems’. In fact, drivers have told me that the bulk of the fleet has on-board cameras so bad that they can often make neither head nor tail of what is going on:

“The in-cab CCTV is dreadful! It is not in real time, there are large areas of the train missing from coverage, it is susceptible to dirt, rain, snow, fog, sunlight, damage and more. Also, imagine the driver having to scan 12 small images (2 inches) to try and make sure that all is safe when working a busy 12-coach train.”

Another driver has kindly allowed me to share the driver safety report.pdf (which I have anonymised to protect the privacy of those concerned). You’ll see includes the shocking conclusion:

“During the last four weeks, I have not completed a single journey where the PTI [Platform Train Interface] was consistently visible.”

I would be grateful for your clarification on whether new camera equipment, mirrors and other infrastructure modifications at stations will be put in place in the coming weeks, and whether new stock will operate on routes that currently have conductors, prior to the proposed switch to DOO.

While a significant body of anecdotal evidence causes me concern as to whether on-board cameras are up to standard, another way in which I’ve been told that stock does not meet the RSSB standard is that cameras cannot be switched on unless the doors are opened. Cameras would need to be switched on if, for example, the train was to stop at a platform that it was not booked to call at due to a red signal at the end of that platform. Again, I would be grateful for your comments on this.

A very practical concern about the reliance on CCTV that is so integral to DOO is whether this reliance will cause greater problems for any smooth running of the extremely busy rail network that serves Brighton & Hove. For example, I’ve heard that CCTV faults in cabs are not uncommon. Once trains are DOO and entirely reliant on these CCTV systems then surely this could cause greater disruption than the current system of driver liaison with conductors? Faulty CCTV can result in the whole train being out of operation, meaning a day or more out of service, whereas a lack of a conductor can mean only a brief suspension of the service if the train is able to run out of service to a point where a conductor can be provided.

Overall, I urge you to press GTR to re-consider their plans to remove conductors from the trains, as their role as a second safety-trained member of staff is so invaluable. Please would you also clarify for me whether the shift to DOO is something that the Government inserted in the contract with GTR or whether it’s something that GTR has chosen to do? If the latter, are there staffing recommendations from Government with which GTR may have been aiming to comply?

Given the timescale of the proposed switch to Driver Only Operations, I would urge you to look into the safety issues raised above as a matter of urgency.

Yours sincerely

Caroline Lucas MP"

Caroline Lucas MP