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05/07/2006
Hatfield rail crash fine reduced
Engineering firm Balfour Beatty has had the £10 million fine imposed over the Hatfield rail crash reduced to £7.5 million on appeal.
Four people died and 102 were injured when a London-to-Leeds express train was derailed at more than 115mph in October 2000.
The crash is understood to have been caused by a faulty rail, which had been identified 21 months earlier. However, it had remained unrepaired even though a replacement had been delivered and left alongside it for six months.
Balfour Beatty, which was responsible for track maintenance, was fined £10 million at the original trial, while Railtrack - now Network Rail - was fined £3.5 million.
At the Court of Appeal on Wednesday, three judges, headed by Lord Philips decided that the disparity between the two fines was so great that a reduction in Balfour Beatty's fine was warranted.
Lord Philips said: "We consider there is scope for a reduction in the interests of proportionality, which will still do justice to the applicable (legal) principles and, in particular, to the victims of the Hatfield disaster."
(KMcA/SP)
Four people died and 102 were injured when a London-to-Leeds express train was derailed at more than 115mph in October 2000.
The crash is understood to have been caused by a faulty rail, which had been identified 21 months earlier. However, it had remained unrepaired even though a replacement had been delivered and left alongside it for six months.
Balfour Beatty, which was responsible for track maintenance, was fined £10 million at the original trial, while Railtrack - now Network Rail - was fined £3.5 million.
At the Court of Appeal on Wednesday, three judges, headed by Lord Philips decided that the disparity between the two fines was so great that a reduction in Balfour Beatty's fine was warranted.
Lord Philips said: "We consider there is scope for a reduction in the interests of proportionality, which will still do justice to the applicable (legal) principles and, in particular, to the victims of the Hatfield disaster."
(KMcA/SP)
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Firms fined over Hatfield rail crash
Two firms have been fined a combined total of £13.5 million over the Hatfield rail disaster, in which four people died. The rail firm, Network Rail – formerly Railtrack – was fined £3.5 million, while engineering firm Balfour Beatty was fined £10 million. Both companies were also ordered to pay £300,000 in costs.
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Two firms have been fined a combined total of £13.5 million over the Hatfield rail disaster, in which four people died. The rail firm, Network Rail – formerly Railtrack – was fined £3.5 million, while engineering firm Balfour Beatty was fined £10 million. Both companies were also ordered to pay £300,000 in costs.
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