Bodies on rail lines left in full view

Railtrack was accused of callousness after a horrified train driver was forced to take his express past a mutilated body.

The driver has since suffered trauma and yesterday his trade union said it would take its protest to John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister, with special responsibility for transport.

Lew Adams, general secretary of the train drivers' union Aslef, told the delegates at the TUC Congress in Brighton that he would be renewing his demand for a thorough review of procedures during such incidents. He said his members had experienced two similar cases recently where they had been told to pass over bodies.

The most recent and most horrific incident happened on 13 August when the Euston-to-London express was ordered to proceed through Harrow and Wealdstone station after an earlier train had struck someone who jumped off the platform.

Mr Adams said: "Approaching the end of the platform, our driver saw that most of the person's body was still on the track and the platform, not even covered up. There was one limb on the platform.

"It is frankly just too revolting to go into all the details of what was seen by the passengers and crew on the train. It is no way to treat to treat the travelling public, train drivers or other railway employees."

Mr Adams said that the express had been halted for some time at a signal outside the station and that there had been ample time for the body to be covered up. "Initially our driver was told to pass over the incident with extreme caution, but then a Railtrack official instructed him to hurry up and get past the scene as quickly as possible.

"They allowed no dignity whatsoever to the poor soul who had been killed. They showed no regard for the trauma they were causing to everyone who saw these appalling sights. The whole incident was an absolute disgrace."

The union contends that the drive for profits in the privatised rail industry has led to greater pressure on drivers to pass over bodies. Where there are delays financial penalties have to be paid either by Railtrack or the train operating company, depending on which was responsible for the delay.

Mr Adams said the union would be demanding changes to the industry's rule book which would stop railway workers and customers from seeing such "offensive gruesome scenes". He said trains should be halted until the incident had been properly dealt with.

Current procedures were "inhuman and obscene", he said, and it was dangerous to subject people to such experiences.

Replying to Mr Adams' criticisms, a Railtrack spokesman said: "We are reviewing how to handle these situations. We have to strike a balance between respect for the deceased and the fact that trains loaded with people are stuck on the line. We are not unfeeling."