ARRIVA Trains Northern has been forced to agree an action plan with Railtrack in a bid to improve its record on trains passing red danger signals.

The company, which has previously been named and shamed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), has recorded 27 signals passed at danger (Spads) since the beginning of last year. Only freight operator English Welsh and Scottish Railways has a worse record, with 49.

New monthly figures released by the HSE show Arriva recorded five Spads for November, although none was in the North-East.

It has emerged that the operator, which is based in Sunderland, has been in discussions with Railtrack in a bid to cut the number of Spads.

An HSE spokesman said: "Railtrack is taking a more proactive approach in dealing with poorly performing train operating companies and has begun a number of reviews.

"Arriva Trains Northern has agreed, as a result, a short-term action plan aimed at ensuring improvements are made."

Arriva Trains Northern would not comment on what measures it was taking to improve its record.

But managing director Ray Price said: "We take these incidents very seriously and are committed to reducing the number of Spads."

The HSE report, published on its website, showed that there were 44 instances of trains passing signals at danger in November 2001 - six fewer than in November 2000.

One Spad led to a derailment and another damaged the track.

Fifteen of the November Spads were considered serious, compared with 19 in November 2000.

Six trains ran past red signals by more than 200 yards, the HSE said.

A national timetable is in place for a Train Protection Warning System (TPWS) to be fitted to all trains and track equipment by 2003.

It automatically makes trains brake when approaching a red danger signal.