Train protection

This term covers equipment fitted to trains and on the track that either prevents trains passing signals at danger (known as SPADs) or reduces the consequences (by making a collision less likely) should they do so.

Over the years there have been a number of serious incidents following SPADs, including collisions at Southall and Ladbroke Grove where lives were lost. Since then, TPWS has been installed across the network and is successfully reducing SPAD risk. There have been a number of incidents where TPWS has intervened to avoid a potential collision.

Details about AWS, TPWS, ATP and ERTMS can be found under Train protection types in the navigation.

Policy

Our policy is to ensure the railway industry obtains, delivers, manages and monitors command control signal systems that provides safe, reliable train control, and train protection under all foreseeable conditions.

In cooperation with Government, industry and stakeholders, we promote the research, development and deployment of modern signalling systems, which include automatic train protection. Further information is contained in the command control signalling strategy.

Legislation

In Britain the use of train protection systems to provide automatic braking in danger situations is a specific legal requirement under Regulation 3 of the Railway Safety Regulations 1999. Railway companies use various types of train protection  systems to comply with the law.

Safety Performance

Since Train Protection Warning systems (TPWS) were fitted on the national network in the late 1990s there have been a number of incidents where TPWS has helped to prevent a potential collision after a Signal Passed At Danger (SPAD). We publish quarterly reports on the numbers of SPADs which includes a summary of the key trends.