ACCIDENT figures obtained by The Northern Echo reveal the tragic lessons of the Selby rail disaster have yet to be fully learned.

In the past 12 months, 33 vehicles have crashed through rail bridge safety barriers in the UK and ended up on the tracks. Three have been struck by trains.

Safety campaigners warn that the statistics show many local authorities are still failing to tackle the problem of crumbling rail bridges and inadequate safety barriers.

The worrying trend has led to fears of a repeat of the Selby rail disaster of February 2001. Ten people died when a Land Rover veered off the M62 and was struck by a passenger train on the East Coast Mainline.

Authorities in the south of England are now accused of lagging behind Durham County Council and North Yorkshire County Council, which have already strengthened their most dangerous structures.

The latest figures have been provided by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), the body leading industry initiatives to cut risks to passengers and railway workers.

Structural engineer Professor John Knapton, a former Newcastle University lecturer, said that while the North-East had led the way in tackling the issue, other regions were not fully committed.

After the Selby tragedy, officials pledged to do whatever was needed to prevent another disaster.

But ten weeks later, The Northern Echo was the first to reveal that bridges across the East Coast Mainline were still in a scandalous state. Ten months later, another investigation showed nothing had changed.

Earlier this year, The Northern Echo's two-year campaign for urgent improvements was praised by Tony Blair as the catalyst for a new "who pays what" funding protocol for repairs.

Prof Knapton said of the work done since then: "It's been patchy. Those who have embraced it have done well, but some councils have done nothing yet."

Authorities in the West Country had been slow to react, possibly because most accidents in the past had occurred further north.

But the RSSB figures show that only one incident occurred in the North-East over the past 12 months - testament to work carried out.

That crash happened on January 4 when a vehicle skidded in icy conditions and plunged on to tracks at Norton, on Teesside. Nobody was injured.

Prof Knapton added: "North Yorkshire and Durham are the two councils which have led the way for the whole country.

"Some are taking it seriously for the first time, thanks to the efforts of The Northern Echo and others."

Peter Wood, North-East spokesman for pressure group Rail Future, said last night: "I understand that a number of county councils are reluctant to spend the kind of money required to ensure there is no repeat of Selby."