Paddington rail crash 'left me with PTSD'

A survivor of the Paddington rail disaster has said he fears safety standards may be slipping.

Thirty-one people died and more than 250 were injured when two trains collided head-on after a train driver missed a red signal on 5 October 1999.

Last year saw 304 trains pass through red signals, a 10-year high, according to official data.

"The risk now is that standards might drop," said chair of the Paddington Survivors' Group Jonathan Duckworth, who said the crash left him with PTSD.

"The industry needs to keep recognising that safety is of great importance," he added.

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

  • London