One of the lead lawyers in the Jimmy Savile Inquiry Group -  Trevor Sterling from Moore Blatch - will represent some of the injured victims of the Croydon tram derailment.

Harry Potter author JK Rowling has been talking about her new film Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them at the movie's London premiere.  

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The mayor announced the Home Office would put an advert for the new Met Commissioner on its website today.

"The Met do an incredible service with enormous dedication every single day to keep us safe. It is therefore absolutely essential that we find the best possible person to take the Met forward other the coming years.

"I'm looking forward to working with the Home Secretary Amber Rudd on appointing the new commissioner," Sadiq Khan said during Mayor's Question Time at City Hall.

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Firefighters at Addington Fire Station are going to donate the wages, external they earnt while working to save the lives of passengers in the Croydon tram crash to the fundraising appeal set up to help victims' families and survivors.

Image source, PA

Andrew Braddock from the trade body UK Tram said: “The interim report from the RAIB is being carefully studied by everyone concerned. 

“We understand it's likely to take up to nine months with further interim reports along the way, that's how it usually works with these RAIB investigations. 

“Anything further that emerges will be given careful consideration. 

“The point I was making previously was that we need to be careful about understanding what happened and avoid knee jerk reactions. 

“Clearly we know that speed was a major factor, but why it was travelling at that speed, and what measures might be appropriate to apply, we will only know further down the line.”

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Finn Brennan, ASLEF's district organiser, said: 'The publication of the interim report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch into the tram derailment at Sandilands is the first step towards discovering the underlying causes of this terrible tragedy.

"While individuals will be held accountable for their actions, it is clear that the lack of adequate safety systems were at the root of this dreadful accident. On the mainline railway, or London Underground, long established, tried and tested technology such as Train Protection Warning System (TPWS) or Automatic Train Protection (ATP) is in place to ensure that a train traveling too quickly in a potentially dangerous area will be slowed and stopped. This technology is not in place on Tramlink. If it had been then this awful event could have been avoided.

"But it is also clear that there are serious questions to answer about the failure to investigate previous incidents that means the risk of such a serious accident happening were not identified and acted upon.

"The operation of Tramlink should now be taken under the direct control of TfL so that immediate steps can be taken to implement the recommendations of the RAIB, and to put in place modern safety systems and a management structure that puts the welfare of its passengers, not value for shareholders, at the centre of everything it does."

The tram's driver, Alfred Dorris, 42, from Beckenham, south-east London, was arrested at the scene and was questioned on suspicion of manslaughter before being bailed until May. 

A spokeswoman for First Group said he had worked at the company since March 2008. 

It is understood that establishing if Mr Dorris was asleep or had blacked out are lines of inquiry. 

The seven people killed in the crash were Dane Chinnery, 19, Philip Logan, 52, Philip Seary, 57, Dorota Rynkiewicz, 35, and Robert Huxley, 63, all from New Addington, and Mark Smith, 35 and Donald Collett, 62, both from Croydon. 

Image source, Family handouts

Image source, BTP

The investigation, so far, has found no evidence of track defects or a malfunction of the tram's braking system.

Also:

• After derailing the tram travelled 25m before stopping
• Initial analysis shows the driver did apply the brake after coming out of the tunnel but only enough to reduce speed from 50mph out of the tunnel to 43.5mph

Transport for London's Transport Commissioner, Mike Brown, has just issued this statement following the release of the RAIB's interim report: “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by what happened last Wednesday, and we are working with the local community to ensure that they continue to receive all the support they need at this incredibly difficult time. 

“I thank the RAIB for their thorough and swift interim investigation. Our engineers have now repaired all track and other equipment and have run trams over the repaired section. 

“We will follow the RAIB’s advice and, before service is resumed, will implement additional temporary speed restrictions and associated signage near Sandilands to supplement existing safety arrangements. 

“We are continuing to carry out a thorough safety assessment and are taking the advice of an independent panel of tram experts. We will only resume services for the local community once that rigorous assurance process has been completed.” 

The factors which led to the over-speeding are still under investigation. 

Until these are better understood, and before the junction re-opens to passengers, the RAIB advises London Trams and Tram Operations Ltd to jointly take measures to reduce the risk of trams approaching Sandilands Junction from the direction of New Addington at an excessive speed.

Options for consideration should include the imposition of a further speed restriction before the start of the existing 20 km/h speed restriction around the curve and/ or additional operational signs.

• Travelling at 43.5 mph, speed limit 12.5mph
• The exact number of passengers is still being established, but is believed to be around 60. Fifty-eight injured or killed
•  At this stage, no evidence has been found of any track defects, or obstructions on the track, that could have contributed to the derailment
• The RAIB’s initial investigation has not indicated any malfunction of the tram’s braking system
• At the time of the accident it was dark and raining heavily
• The right side of the tram, which made contact with the ground, was severely damaged

Image source, AP

The RAIB report notes that at the time of the derailment last Wednesday it was dark and raining heavily., external

"Tram 2551 departed from New Addington at 05:55 hrs, calling at six stops including Lloyd Park. After leaving Lloyd Park it travelled at up to 80 km/h (50 mph)(in accordance with prevailing speed restrictions), as it ran towards its next stop at Sandilands.

"The tram entered the curve on the approach to Sandilands Junction at a speed of approximately 70 km/h (43.5 mph). As it encountered the curve, it derailed and turned over onto its right side, travelling for approximately 25 metres before it stopped."

The maximum permitted speed for trains approaching the area from Lloyd Park is 50mph (80km/h) until the curve near to Sandilands Junction, at which point it drops to 12.5mph (20km/h) speed restriction - 30 metres before the point where the derailment happened, according to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch interim report, external.

A tram which crashed in Croydon, south London killing seven people was travelling at three-and-a-half times the speed limit for the section of track where it derailed, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch said today.

Inside Croydon

Transport for London has delayed the re-opening of the tram line between New Addington and East Croydon, pending the publication of the preliminary report from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch., external

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