7/7 victims relate shortcomings

A survivor of London's 7 July bombings has called for aircraft style lighting on Tube trains at an inquiry into the emergency response to the attacks. Twelve survivors are going before the London Assembly committee, which is finding what lessons can be learnt. The survivor, called John, also said there should be first aid kits on board trains and he called for train guards to be reintroduced

The four bombs left 52 people dead in July last year. Hundreds of people were also injured in the attacks on three Tube trains and a bus. The 7 July Review Committee is expected to reveal its findings at the end of May, following its five sessions.

At today's hearing, another survivor, Michael, told how he escaped from a bombed train by walking down the track at Aldgate. He told the committee: "I walked up on to the platform and asked the first group of firemen why they weren't down there - there's people dying down there - and they wouldn't look at me.

Richard Barnes, who is chairing the inquiry, told BBC News: "The survivors are the only people that have actually gone through the whole process - from the explosions right the way through to after care. "So they experienced the rescue process, the dealings with the emergency services, the hospitals the communications issues, how they talked to their families, how they were dealt with at the family assistance centre and indeed afterwards. They truly have a massive story to tell."

The committee has already heard a harrowing 999 call describing the Tavistock Square bus bombing, during which the caller said: "There's people lying on the ground... there's people dead. During another hearing it emerged that London Underground's (LU) radio systems did not work properly and it had to rely on workers running into tunnels to find out what was going on.

LU's managing director Tim O'Toole told the committee that bearing in mind the chaos and difficulty of managing the emergency, the speed of communication had been "amazing". But he said the Tube network used an "antiquated" and unreliable radio network underground, which was badly disrupted by the blast.

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