Carillion fined over train track tragedy
Network Rail and construction giant Carillion have been forced to pay more than £1 million in fines and costs following the deaths of two workers on a Staffordshire rail track.
Network Rail and construction giant Carillion have been forced to pay more than £1 million in fines and costs following the deaths of two workers on a Staffordshire rail track.
Network Rail was fined £666,667 and Wolverhampton-based Carillion £444,444, and both had £50,000 costs each to pay following the deaths of two men who were laying new track in Hednesford. They had already pleaded guilty to health and safety offences and appeared at Stafford Crown Court yesterday for sentence.
David Pennington, aged 46, from Burnley, was killed while working on a railway track alongside Martin Oakes, aged 38, from Sheffield.
Three men - David Jones, John Brady and Wayne Brigden - also appeared for sentence at Stafford Crown Court yesterday following their deaths.
They were operating a road rail vehicle (RRV) which reversed at speed and killed the two men.
They had all been convicted at trial of failing to take care of the health and safety of themselves and others.
Mr Pennington and Mr Oakes died when they were hit by an RRV maintenance vehicle as they worked in darkness in the early hours of a night in September 2004.
They were on a Delivery Train (RDT) working to replace the line at Hednesford and sleepers were being delivered.
Judge Mark Eades said the decision to reverse the RRV was "reckless".
He said: "This was reckless and tragically took the lives of two men who were working on the track at the time.
"For you three men who were responsible on that day for the RRV there was a flagrant disregard of what was required of you. But I think the majority of the blame lies at the hands of Carillion and Network Rail.
"Two rail vehicles of this kind shouldn't have been operated together on this track at the same time."
Jones, aged 48, from Parkland Crescent, Appleby Magna, Swadlincote, and John Brady, aged 45, from Chaucer Grove, Acocks Green, Birmingham, were fined £3,000 reduced to £750 because they are currently out of work and receiving benefits.
Brigden, aged 29, from Hernal Croft, Yardley, Birmingham, was fined £3,000.
