Leeds rail depot cancer diagnoses prompt diesel fumes fear

A union has raised concerns over toxic diesel fumes being emitted by trains at a Leeds rail depot after eight workers there were diagnosed with cancer.

Unite said two had "sadly died from the disease" while four other employees were planning to take legal action.

It has called for better ventilation systems after a video showed "toxic fog spewing" from a train.

Network Rail said it was working with East Midlands Railway (EMR), which runs the depot, to improve conditions.

All eight staff members worked at the Neville Hill site for more than a decade and in the last six years they were diagnosed with various cancers of the throat, lungs, mouth, bowel and kidney, Unite said.

The union said the dangers staff faced from diesel emissions at Leeds and other depots across the country were "the tip of the iceberg".

Eight workers at the Neville Hill depot have been diagnosed with cancer

Regional officer Kevin Hepworth said: "Unite believes that the carcinogenic diesel emissions that our members at Neville Hill have been surrounded by day-in day-out, often for years at a time, could be linked to cancer rates at the depot.

"This is literally life and death.

"Both Network Rail and East Midlands Rail need to protect staff by improving the depot's ventilation system as well as the policies meant to minimise staff exposure and the amount of fumes that are emitted.

"The dangers of diesel emissions have been known about for years and decisive action needs to be taken at Neville Hill immediately."

Rob Miguel, Unite's national officer for health and safety, said the union had set up "a diesel emissions register" where staff could anonymously report incidents of emissions exposure in the workplace.

A Network Rail spokeswoman said work on plans to improve the ventilation system would be carried out next year.

EMR said it had air-quality monitoring equipment at its depots and ensured "our working environments are operated within legal limits and to industry standards".

"The safety, security and well-being of our colleagues is always our absolute priority."

In 2012, experts at The World Health Organisation said exhaust fumes from diesel engines do cause cancer.