NW rail staff reported potential paint bomb attacks on trains and station

Rail Minister Danny Kennedy revealed three of the incidents centred on a PSNI warning over potential paint-bomb attacks on February 15 and 16.

The revelation comes after staff hours and opening hours at Waterside railway station were cut earlier this year to save money.

Translink previously explained that the cuts in February were part of a roll out of the same efficiency measures introduced earlier in 2012.

Now - in response to a query from Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) MLA Jim Allister - Rail Minister Danny Kennedy has revealed that in February there were five incidents prompting staff to raise safety concerns with the Railway Control Office. These included potential paint-bomb attacks and also vandalism to trains.

Mr Allister asked how many reports were filed for inclusion “on the Translink Incident Monitoring System, expressing concern about safety and supervision issues on the North-West line since staffing and related changes were made in February 2012.”

The Minister replied that between February 3 and February 25 there were a total of five incidents.

“These ranged from minor damage to locomotives which were located in the siding at Londonderry to staff expressing concerns for safety.

“Three of these incidents, which occurred between February 15-16, are inter related in that the PSNI advised of a potential threat to throw paint bombs at trains or at railway station premises and additional security measures were put in place at the time to deal with this situation.

“No relevant incidents have been recorded after this ‘cluster’, which occurred in the period immediately following the implementation of revised working arrangements in the Londonderry station.

“The safety of staff is of course a priority and Translink will continue to monitor the situation. The nature of the particular incidents recorded above do not require further investigation by the Department.”

The security concerns were revealed not long after a report in the Sentinel in March showed hundreds of safety issues were reported at unmanned level crossings on the Londonderry to Coleraine line since 2007.

Between 2007 and 2011 there were an incredible 1,208 safety issues reported at unmanned crossings in the North West.

During that period there were SIX near misses and one death. It’s emerged that safety issues were reported at dozens of private crossings as well as at Ballykelly airport (20) and the Foyle Bridge (12) over the five years.