With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement on the tragic collision between 2 passenger trains on Friday, 19 June 2026.
I realise honourable members will be aware of some of the details, but today I’d like to set out the facts as we know them so far.
At approximately 1715 on Friday evening, 2 East Midlands Railway passenger trains collided at Elstow near Bedford.
The 1640 service from Corby to London St Pancras struck the stationary 1550 service from Nottingham to St Pancras.
Within minutes, emergency services were on the scene.
A joint response then followed, including Fire and Rescue Services, the ambulance service, National Police Air Service, British Transport Police, Bedfordshire Police and railway staff.
They evacuated passengers safely, provided medical assistance, secured the railway and began recovery operations.
By 2300, all passengers were clear of the scene.
Madam Deputy Speaker, it deeply saddens me to confirm to the House that the driver of the Corby to London St Pancras train died in the collision.
His family have asked for privacy at this horrendously difficult time, but I am sure I speak for the whole House when I offer them our deepest condolences.
According to the latest information I have from the BTP, at least 33 people were taken to hospital, with a third of those in a serious condition.
At least 56 other people were treated for injuries.
A number of the injured remain in a critical condition today.
We are thinking of all of them and their families.
Madam Deputy Speaker, all responders, to a person, acted quickly, professionally and bravely in the most challenging of circumstances.
Circumstances that many of us will never experience nor quite understand.
Indeed, Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi of the British Transport Police told me over the weekend that the teamwork between emergency services, railway staff and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch was the best she’d ever seen.
Let me take this opportunity to thank every single one of them.
I would also like to thank the NHS staff who are still providing care to the injured as we speak.
Often in the hours and days after events such as these, small acts of compassion and selflessness start to emerge.
Whether it was members of the local community, who lived near the stranded trains, providing bottles of water to stranded passengers.
The Salvation Army’s food truck that’s been on the scene since the incident.
Or station staff along the route, who supported passengers amid the disruption.
I was particularly moved to hear the ticket inspector on the Corby train, despite being injured himself, radioed in to close the rail line whilst also checking everyone else was ok.
As I’ve said before, I truly believe the best of us show up in the worst of times – and that is again the case here.
Madam Deputy Speaker, this is news no Transport Secretary ever wants to deliver.
And while I completely understand the strength of feeling out there. While I hear clearly the clamour for answers, for the need to understand the cause of this tragedy.
I must ask everyone for some patience – as hard as I know that will be.
I am determined we get all the answers we’re looking for and that lessons are learned.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch – whose inspectors were on the scene within hours – have already launched an independent investigation. And they have confirmed there will be an update in the coming days.
They, and they alone, will identify the cause and will make recommendations which I will consider with the utmost care and due diligence.
Meanwhile, I urge everyone to await their findings and to hold off on speculation.
Madam Deputy Speaker, those most affected by this tragic incident will continue to receive the support they need.
In addition to direct care provided by the emergency services, East Midlands Railway have a customer care and welfare support team to provide assistance to passengers.
They have also set up a dedicated care line that anyone affected can contact.
Throughout, my department will remain in close contact with the British Transport Police and local emergency services, Network Rail, East Midlands Railway, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch and the Office of Rail and Road.
The Rail Minister has already spoken to the General Secretaries of the RMT and ASLEF.
As well as to honourable members, including the Member for Bedford, the Member for Milton Keynes North, the Member for Mid Bedfordshire, the Member for Corby and East Northamptonshire, the Member for Wellingborough and Rushden and the Member for Kettering.
Madam Deputy Speaker, now that investigators have gathered evidence from the scene, Network Rail will recover the trains and restore the infrastructure.
This will be a complex operation – involving lifting and removing damaged trains, repairing the rails and removing and replacing overhead lines.
That is why the railway is expected to remain closed between Bedford and Luton for the rest of the week. There will, however, be services running between Luton and London St Pancras.
Rail replacement services were already in place along the Midland Main Line due to planned engineering works over the weekend. Those works were cancelled, but the replacement services continue to offer passengers alternative routes to travel.
I’ve also instructed train operators to accept tickets from customers using alternative routes.
However, my message to passengers who would normally use this route is that if your travel is not essential, please make alternative arrangements.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I realise the following words may ring hollow to those affected by Friday’s events, but they remain important nonetheless.
Britain does have one of the safest railways in the world.
Thankfully, incidents like this are extremely rare, and, when they do occur, they are taken very seriously.
Safety remains the absolute priority across our rail network – of that there should be no doubt.
In addition to the railway’s own safety experts and the Railway Accident Investigation Branch, we also have an expert independent safety regulator.
I expect all of them to be studying the findings from the investigation and I will ensure the right steps are then taken.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to close by reassuring the House that we will provide updates as more information becomes available.
And I would like to offer my sympathies again to everyone affected and express my heartfelt thanks to those who responded so heroically in the aftermath.
I commend this statement to the House.