THIS is a tough day for all those involved in the Great Heck crash. The villagers will recall the moment when the early morning quiet exploded into horror.

Emergency service workers who battled so heroically to save lives in the snow will remember scenes they would wish to forget.

Today is hardest of all for the survivors and the bereaved. They will always be haunted by this anniversary, the day when a routine train journey turned their world inside out.

Two years later, the rest of the world has moved on. Yet many of those worst affected by the Great Heck rail disaster are unable to begin rebuilding their lives because they are mired down in what may be termed post-trauma bureaucracy.

Ten people claiming accident compensation are still waiting for a settlement. They and their families cannot put Great Heck behind them until the legal proceedings have finished. They are still victims.

We urge all involved to do everything possible to expedite their claims quickly.

On an anniversary such as this, it is important to look forward as well as back. Have the lessons been learned from Great Heck?

In part. The fundamental cause of the catastrophe was Gary Hart's stupid belief that he could make a long car journey after very little sleep. This month, the Government told courts that a driver who kills someone after falling asleep should automatically go to prison for at least two years.

Ministers have also issued guidelines this week designed to reduce the risk of vehicles obstructing railway lines.

But can we do more to stop such accidents happening? Yes, says expert Prof John Knapton: the new crash barriers being installed at road-over-rail bridges are not strong enough.

This is worrying, as is North Yorkshire County Council's response: "You can't just stop everything."

Maybe not. But we can - and should - do everything possible to prevent another Great Heck.

We owe that to those who died two years ago today.

Updated: 10:41 Friday, February 28, 2003