'Safety top priority' - Office of Rail & Road concerned Blackpool trams at risk of "derailment or collision"

Tram bosses have reassured passengers that safety is their "top priority" after they were ordered to carry out urgent repairs following an inspection by a transport watchdog.

An examinaation by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) revealed the service, run by Blackpool Transport, was in contravention of Health and Safety legislation.

The report says the company had "failed to take, so far as is reasonably practicable, appropriate measures to control known risks associated with bogie degradation".

Bogie degradation is where the axles of trams and trains become worn during years of use due to vibrations.

The Office of Rail and Road inspector said some of the resort's trams could be at risk of "derailment or collision", if the problem was not fixed.

Blackpool Transport has until June 19 to carry out repairs to the Office of Rail and Road's satisfaction.

The firm must:

- Identify and fix safety risks from bogie degradation, including risks with safety-critical defects that could cause a collision or derailment.

- Carry out and document repairs before any affected trams are returned to service.

Trams are still running on all routes, but last month a revised timetable with a slower service was introduced.

The timetable changes, from May 17, were introduced to deliver a more "robust service" for passengers.

The 15-minute Starr Gate to Fleetwood service now takes longer with additional time added to allow trams to run "more reliably".

At the time, Jame Swift, head of commercial at Blackpool Transport, said: "we're constantly striving to deliver an ever more reliable service and these changes will give customers greater confidence that a tram will arrive at the expected time, particularly as the network gets busier during the busy summer season."

He added: "It will also help us to manage ongoing maintenance work and investment in the network that will enable us to further enhance services in the future."

Today a spokesman for Blackpool Transport reassured passengers that their safety was a top priority.

He said: "Working closely with the ORR, we have already made improvements to our maintenance reporting processes, primarily, the way risks and associated mitigation measures are documented.

"While the improvement notice identified shortcomings in documentation associated with some specific repairs, we would like to assure customers that safety has always been our top priority, with appropriate measures put in place to address any potential risks.

"We will also continue to work with the ORR, suppliers, industry partners and other key stakeholders to ensure trams remain one of the safest forms of public transport."