Great Western Coffee Shop

Network Rail has been fined ^20,000 after a string of blunders that led to a high speed crash in Acton.

Judge Richard McGregor-Johnson said it was only good fortune that no-one was killed when a First Great Western train travelling from Reading to Paddington ploughed into grinding trolleys parked on a working line outside West Acton station.

Workers had been drafted in to repair sections of track along the line in the early hours of June 24, 2008, Isleworth Crown Court was told on Thursday (Dec 1).

But the men, from the Reading depot, were unfamiliar with area and were confused because they had been given the wrong information about the entry point.

Camraj Bacman, Danny Burgoyne and Trevor Elliott were amongst a team which accessed the line from Noel Road, Acton, instead of nearby Longfield Road, just 100 yards further away.

Prosecutor Mark Watson, said: "They mistakenly believed they were in an isolated part of the track."

Mr Watson said there had been 'no explanation' as to why the men had not been informed of the correct access point.

At 1.07am the train driver, travelling at 50mph, spotted the trolleys on the line and slammed on the brakes, but could not avoid colliding with them.

The workmen ran to safety but the train was severely damaged. None of the passengers were injured but had to be evacuated.

Mr Watson said the system of works was not properly checked before the job went ahead.

The company apologised for what it said was a lapse in an otherwise good safety record. It has since taken steps to address the issues that arose from the accident and asked not to be fined too heavily because it is funded by the government and rail fares, and losses would impact on its ability to do necessary works.

Network Rail admitted breaching safety regulations and was fined ^20,000 and ordered to pay ^9,000 costs.

The company apologised for what it said was a lapse in an otherwise good safety record. It has since taken steps to address the issues that arose from the accident and asked not to be fined too heavily because it is funded by the government and rail fares, and losses would impact on its ability to do necessary works.

Fining Network Rail is rather an exercise in robbing Peter to pay Paul.

More accountability should fall on the heads of senior management. It's only in cases of death or serious injury that you tend to read of charges brought against individuals. If there is to be a bonus system in place then perhaps legislation needs to made to allow for withholding some or all of those bonuses when it is proved that fault lies with management and/or the chain of command.