The French Land Transport Accident Investigation Bureau (', abbreviated BEA-TT) is an agency of the French government formed in 2004 and charged with the investigation into accidents involving all forms of land transport, including railways, urban guided transportation systems (
metros,
trams), cable-hauled transport systems, road transport (
heavy goods vehicles, and public transport by coach and bus), and
canals and other navigable inland waterways.
It is headquartered in the in
La Défense
La Défense () is a major business district in France, located west of the city limits of Paris. It is part of the Paris metropolitan area in the Île-de-France region, located in the department of Hauts-de-Seine in the communes of Courbevoie, ...
business district in
Puteaux
Puteaux () is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located in the heart of the Hauts-de-Seine department, from the centre of Paris. In 2016, it had a population of 44,941.
La Défense, Paris's business district hosting the ...
.
[ - "Tour Voltaire, 7ème étage, 92055 LA DEFENSE Cedex"]
History
Prior to the formation of the BEA-TT, the government minister with responsibility for transportation would set up ad hoc investigation commissions, for example after the 1988
Paris-Gare de Lyon rail accident and 1999
Mont Blanc tunnel fire. These commissions were supported by the
Conseil Général des Ponts et Chaussées
The Conseil général des Ponts et Chaussées (CGPC "Civil Engineering General Council") is one of the oldest institutions in France and the direct heir of the assembly of inspectors general of bridges and roads, which met regularly from 1747 und ...
(CGPC, "Civil Engineering General Council").
The CGPC's experience, particularly following the Mont Blanc tunnel fire, showed there was a need for a new legal framework that guaranteed investigators access to sites, recordings and information covered by commercial confidentiality or pre-trial non-disclosure agreements.
An Act of parliament passed on 3 January 2002 supplied the legal basis for technical investigations and reaffirms and mandates the investigatory principals of independence, and commits to the publishing of the report. The BEA-TT was founded by a decree on 26 January 2004, with the right of access to all elements useful to an investigation, even those covered by non disclosure or confidentiality requirements such as those pre-trial or for commercial and medical reasons.
Investigations
*
Brétigny-sur-Orge train crash
See also
*
Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile (BEA)
*
Bureau d'Enquêtes sur les Evénements de Mer (BEAmer)
*
Road Safety Investigation Branch (Great-Britain)
References
External links
*
Official website
{{authority control
Government agencies of France
Rail accident investigators
Transport safety organizations
2004 establishments in France