Mayors demand action after train collision but region awaits investigation report

The Gribskov railway line in North Zealand has resumed normal service today after last week’s head-on collision between two trains injured 18 people, five critically. While local mayors call for immediate safety upgrades, Region Hovedstaden’s chairman insists on awaiting the official accident investigation before taking action, DR reports.

Lars Gaardhøj (S), regional council chairman, acknowledged the severity of the crash near Hillerød but stressed the need for a professional assessment before implementing new measures. “First and foremost, this was a very serious incident that has affected us all deeply,” he said. “If additional safety measures—such as an advanced control system—are needed, we’re ready to discuss it. But we must base decisions on expert recommendations.”

Mayors from Hillerød, Gribskov, and Halsnæs municipalities—Christoffer Lorenzen (K), Trine Egetved (K), and Steffen Jensen (S)—are pushing for the installation of an automatic train control (ATC) system, which can automatically brake a train if it exceeds speed limits or ignores a red signal. The current Gribskov line lacks both ATC and the simpler automatic train protection (ATP) system, the latter of which was introduced on the Hornbæk line in 2002 following a prior accident.

Gaardhøj emphasized that the Danish Accident Investigation Board must first determine the cause of the collision before any decisions are made. “The board is examining what went wrong—technical evidence, signal data, potential human error—and that process could take months,” he said. “It’s prudent to wait for their findings before acting.”

Local operator Lokaltog A/S, which manages the Gribskov line and other regional routes, previously deemed the existing safety systems sufficient. However, the company’s safety chief, Claus René Pedersson, confirmed they are now reassessing whether upgrades are necessary. Gaardhøj assured passengers that the line’s reopening meets all regulatory standards set by the Danish Transport Authority. “If they approve operations, I trust the safety measures are adequate,” he said.

A prior internal report, revealed by DR, warned that conditions on Lokaltog’s networks risked a “major accident with multiple casualties.”