Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy, personally thanked emergency services, rail industry staff and local volunteers for their response to the train derailment last week, in a visit to the Tenants Resource Centre, Lewes on 18 August.
During the visit to Lewes, Lord Hendy spoke to staff and volunteers from organisations including: Network Rail, GTR, South East Coast Ambulance Service, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, South East Coast Ambulance Service, British Transport Police, East Sussex County Council and Lewes District Council and the Landport Road Community Centre, thanking them for their response to the derailment on 13 August.
He said: “I want to pay tribute to everyone who responded so quickly and professionally to the incident outside Lewes last week. The hard work of our emergency services and railway staff, combined with the extraordinary community spirit shown by the people of Lewes, meant that passengers received the support and care they needed at a difficult time. My thoughts remain with those who were on board and everyone affected by this incident.
“We will continue to work closely with the rail industry and investigators to understand help restore services for passengers and understand what happened as well as if any lessons can be learned.”
Emergency services, railway staff and local volunteers provided immediate support to passengers, including medical assistance, shelter, and refreshments during the incident.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has deployed a team to examine the site, as part of a full, independent safety investigation which will be published in due course.
Network Rail and Southern have been working to restore full services on the line, with rail replacement buses currently operating between Haywards Heath and Lewes while repairs continue. The line remains closed until further notice and passengers are advised to check before they travel.
Image credit: DfT