Seven passengers died and 51 were injured when a tram derailed in south London in 2016.
Image source, Getty Images
The driver of the Croydon tram which crashed killing seven people is being prosecuted by the railway watchdog.
Transport for London (TfL) and the operator, Tram Operations Limited, are also facing action for breaches of health and safety law, the Office for Road and Rail (ORR) says.
Alfred Dorris was driving the tram when it overturned in November 2016.
The crash was ruled accidental by an inquest jury and TfL paid compensation to victims’ families.
The tram was travelling more than three times faster than a speed limit when it tipped over and spun off the tracks near Sandilands tram stop in south London.
Image source, Family Handout
The crash resulted in the deaths of Dane Chinnery, 19, Philip Logan, 52, Philip Seary, 57, Dorota Rynkiewicz, 35, and Robert Huxley, 63, all from New Addington, and Mark Smith, 35, and Donald Collett, 62, from Croydon.
Fifty-one people were injured in the crash.
ORR’s Chief Inspector of Railways Ian Prosser CBE said: “Following a detailed and thorough investigation, we’ve taken the decision to prosecute TfL, Tram Operations Limited and driver Alfred Dorris for what we believe to be health and safety failings.
“We’ve made a fair, independent and objective assessment about what happened, and it is now for the court to consider if any health and safety law has been breached.”
A hearing will take place in due course at Croydon Magistrates’ Court.
Analysis
By Tom Edwards, BBC London transport correspondent
For the families who lost loved ones this prosecution will be very welcome.
One family this morning told me they were “elated” there might be accountability over what happened because after a safety investigation and an inquest, they felt too many questions had not been answered.
Why had previous incidents of speeding not been reported? Why did it take so long to investigate a similar incident on the same corner just 10 days before?
That was only looked into after the Sandilands crash and it took so long the CCTV from the tram had automatically been wiped.
Why did drivers feel they could not report incidents?
And were fatigue management systems in place and adequate – considering most tram drivers in a survey said they were not?
The inquest heard that over five years, five drivers had been disciplined or sacked for falling asleep but it kept happening.
It seems now those questions will have to be answered in court.
Many of the families had lost faith in the system. It has taken seven years to get here.
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- 22 July 2021
- 22 July 2021