The Merseyrail franchise operator, Merseyrail Electrics 2002 Ltd, has been fined £85,000 and ordered to pay costs of £20,970.15 after pleading guilty to breaches of health and safety law following a runaway train derailment on 30 June 2009.
The sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday follows an Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) investigation into the incident which led to a stationary train undergoing repairs at Kirkdale depot in Liverpool running onto the main line and crashing into a buffer and a wall.
The runaway train narrowly avoided colliding with a passenger train.
ORR’s investigation found that Merseyrail was aware of the risks involved in maintaining trains at depots following a similar runaway train incident at Birkenhead North on 11 January 2007.
Merseyrail had introduced procedures to control risks, but had failed to effectively supervise its workers to ensure that required safety standards were met.
Commenting on the case, Caroline Wake, ORR’s deputy chief inspector of railways said:
“Merseyrail failed in its duty to protect the safety and wellbeing of its staff and its passengers, and it is fortunate no-one was seriously hurt. ORR will not tolerate rail workers or passengers being put at unnecessary risk and we continue to press for improvements across the rail industry, taking appropriate enforcement action – including prosecution – when necessary.
“Merseyrail recognised that safety improvements were needed, and the rail regulator is satisfied with the company’s enhanced safety systems put in place since June 2009 to reduce the likelihood of a similar incident happening again.”
