Tube staff 'not given training to handle terrorism'

The inquest into the 2005 July 7 suicide bombings heard from a series of Tube workers yesterday who were asked by a lawyer for some of the victims' families, Caoilfhionn Gallagher, whether they had been trained in what to expect in the event of an explosion. But most of them answered that they had not.

One witness, trains duty manager Trevor Rodgers, said his training had prepared him to an extent but he added: "I don't think we were trained to deal with that type of incident."

Train driver Simon Blakesley said he had received no training about what to do in the event of a bomb but had been trained in the Mayday procedure and only driver Craig Aylen said he had received training not only in the Mayday procedure but also in how to evacuate passengers from a train and what to do if a suspect package was discovered.

Staff also had to contend with was what was described as a "stone-age" radio system on the London Underground network at the time. Mr Blakesley said the radio was "very old", although he was generally able to get hold of someone when he needed to.

A new radio system, called Connect, has been introduced since the bombings which enables Tube drivers to communicate anywhere within the network, the inquest was told.

Yesterday, the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London was told by a civilian rescuer he believed Tube passengers killed in bombings could have been saved if paramedics had arrived sooner.

Suhel Boodi attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on a victim – though he had no first aid training and had only seen the procedure on television.

He had been travelling in the carriage next to the one blown up at Edgware Road in London by Mohammed Sidique Khan and after the blast rushed to the scene of devastation, which "looked like a war zone".

He followed directions gestured to him by passengers watching from a train that stopped alongside and assisted a seriously injured woman, 29-year-old Laura Webb.

The hearing continues on Friday.