Alton Towers reopens to the public after accident
STAFFORDSHIRE theme park Alton Towers was set to re-open to the public today (Monday) almost a week after 16 people were injured – four seriously – in an accident on one of its rollercoasters.
Park owner Merlin Entertainments, which is thought to have lost millions of pounds as a result of the closure, said the ride on which the people were injured – The Smiler – would remain closed, as would a second ride, X-Sector.
Since the accident on Tuesday Merlin said it had been engaged in a “thorough review and investigation” of the events that led up to the incident and of its safety and operating processes.
It said it was co-operating fully with the investigation being conducted by the Health & Safety Executive. HSE investigators removed the damaged carriages on Friday and transported them to a laboratory in Buxton where further tests will be conducted.
Merlin said the safety of its visitors was its fundamental priority; therefore it had issued an additional set of safety protocols and procedures for the operation of all of its multi-car rollercoasters. These are effective immediately.
It said safety officers would work with staff to ensure the guidelines were understood and adhered to. Each rollercoaster has its own individual operating process and characteristics.
As a consequence of this, in addition to the rides at Alton Towers, Merlin has also closed – until the new safety protocols have been applied – the Saw ride at sister attraction, Thorpe Park.
It has also shut down Dragon’s Fury and Rattlesnake, both at Chessington World of Adventures.
Nick Varney, chief executive of Merlin Entertainments, said: “This has been a terrible experience for everyone involved and one we sincerely regret. Our thoughts remain with those who were seriously injured and we are doing everything we can to support them through this difficult time. It is an accident that should not have happened, and we are determined that it will never happen again.
“Whilst the investigation into the causes is continuing, we have identified a series of additional safety protocols that we are implementing immediately across our multi-car rollercoasters. These will act as an additional safeguard to further strengthen our operating and safety standards. This has been a devastating experience, and we are committed to learning the lessons from it.”
In addition to the lost revenue due to the park closure, the company’s share price has also been impacted by the accident, falling almost 3.5% at one stage before recovering. However, the price remains down in what it was before the accident.
