Network Rail fined £4m over 'preventable' crash
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Network Rail was fined £4m yesterday for safety failures that led to a train derailment which killed a pensioner and injured 86 other passengers.
The company accepted it was to blame for a "devastating and preventable" accident.
Margaret Masson, 84, from Glasgow, died from multiple injuries after a Virgin Pendolino express from London to Glasgow crashed on the west coast main line near the village of Grayrigg, Cumbria, on 23 February 2007, after going over a "degraded" set of points. Twenty-eight people were seriously injured. The director of railway safety at the Office of Rail Regulation, Ian Prosser, said it was a devastating and preventable incident.
David Higgins, chief executive of Network Rail, said: "Nothing we can say or do will lessen the pain felt by Mrs Masson's family but we will make the railways safer and strive to prevent such an accident ever happening again." Mrs Masson's relatives said they found it "offensive" that they would be contributing towards the fine because Network Rail is funded by taxpayers.
Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd admitted a charge under the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments