RAILTRACK was forced to take urgent safety action at a Southampton signal blackspot after eight trains jumped red lights, it has emerged.

The signal, between Millbrook and Southampton Central stations, was named as one of the 21 most dangerous in Britain in a report into last Tuesday's Paddington disaster.

The chief inspector of railways' interim report revealed signal E744, visible from Saxon Road, had been passed at red eight times in six years, any one of which could have proved potentially disastrous.

Only ten signals in Britain had a worse record, according to the report.

The final incident, in April 1997, prompted Railtrack to relocate it to ground level and add reflective colouring to make it more visible to drivers.

In August the Daily Echo revealed that the number of Signals Passed at Danger (Spads) in the South increased by 18 per cent from 123 in 1997-98 to 145 in 1998-99.

Last February this paper also revealed that a Southampton-bound train went through a red light near Winchester. The driver was disciplined.

A Railtrack spokeswoman said no further incident has occurred at Millbrook since the work was carried out, but the revelation has angered safety campaigners.

Alan Shotter, vice chair of the rail users' consultative committee for Southern England, said it was further evidence of a need for stricter regulations.

He said: "We knew there were a number of signals like this throughout the UK but I was surprised there was one in Southampton.

"There should be a six-monthly report on all signals passed at danger giving the reasons why, so we can then highlight the faults region by region."

Mr Shotter said his committee was united in wanting to see train protection introduced as soon as possible.

He added: "It would have stopped the Paddington accident as the Thames train wouldn't have been able to go through a red light. At the moment the driver can override the signal."

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