WARNING systems have been installed on a York rail company's fleet - some nine months ahead of schedule.

The Train Protection Warning System (TPWS) has been fitted to all Arriva Trains Northern (ATN) cabs running across North Yorkshire and the North of England.

More than 360 driver cabs were fitted with TPWS at the rate of about 50 each month at the company's two train care depots - Neville Hill, in Leeds, and Heaton Depot, in Newcastle.

The project was completed following "strong planning and co-ordination" between the depots and the firm's York head office.

TPWS is designed to reduce the risk and the consequences of trains not stopping at red signals or travelling too fast.

Sensors fixed to the track in front of a signal set up a magnetic field that triggers a timer on the train as it passes over it.

A second sensor a few metres further on sends out another magnetic field. If the timer on the train is still running as it passes over the second field it automatically applies the brakes then safely stops the train within what is known as the "overlap".

This is a safe distance, usually approximately 200 metres beyond the signal, after which there is a potential risk of a collision or derailment.

Ray Price, managing director of ATN, said: "The safety of our customers and employees is central to everything we do.

"It is a superb achievement to have completed the installation TPWS well in advance of the national deadline set by the Strategic Rail Authority.

"This is a credit to the hard work of those employees who have skilfully planned and carried out the project from start to finish."

The company follows its counterpart at Arriva Trains Merseyside, which was the country's first train operating company to have the system installed to all of its fleet, and York's other rail company, GNER.

Updated: 09:00 Friday, April 11, 2003