The Chief
Executive
National Grid plc
National Grid House
Warwick Technology
Park
Gallows Hill
Warwick, CV34 6DA
26th
July 2010
Dear Mr Holliday,
Your company has in the past maintained that safety in its
operations is ‘paramount’ and it is because of this claim that I address this
letter to you.
A Public Inquiry has recently been held into Tewkesbury
Borough Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for you to construct a
PRI at Tirley.
As part of the Inquiry proceedings, a visit to the proposed
site was held on Thursday 22nd July and a minibus was provided by
National Grid to take your two representatives, whom I understand to be an
employee and a contractor, the representatives of the other parties and the inspector
to various sites. The visit lasted for about three hours. Your representatives
were present in an official capacity, in company time and were travelling in
company-provided transport.
A notice was prominently displayed in the minibus indicating
that the wearing of seat belts was required by law. I noted that at no time
during the visit did your representatives wear seat belts nor did they either
request or require other travellers in the minibus to wear them.
Road traffic accidents are perhaps the greatest threat to
safety in the lives of most people. Your company has recently noted ‘with
sadness’ that its activities had caused the deaths of three contractors and one
employee and I understand that these were in traffic accidents.
The wearing of seat belts is in itself a relatively minor
matter both in law and in terms of its contribution to safety. However the fact
that a minor and legally required safety measure was treated with flagrant disregard
by your representatives raises a number of questions:
- Is
the safety culture of your organisation as deeply rooted as you would have
the public believe, given that your official representatives either forget
or ignore simple and common safety requirements?
- Given
the above, is your claim to safety being paramount not overstated?
- What
laws and safety measures do you require your employees and contractors to
adhere to and which do you not? And how is the public to know where you
draw the line, if indeed you do?
Your comments would be greatly appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
J L Gabbott
Secretary