Network Rail fined £3.75m after two workers died in Wales due to safety failures during maintenance in 2019.
Gareth Delbridge, 64, and Michael Lewis, 58, died, while Darren Wilkins, a colleague, barely escaped. The court found the work unnecessary, stating the track was already upgraded beforehand. This crucial information wasn’t shared with the team.
Network Rail admitted failing to ensure worker safety near Port Talbot. David Travers KC spoke for the rail safety office, noting the team worked east of Port Talbot on July 3, 2019. Delbridge led the team due to absent leaders, and no track closure (“line block”) was in place. Trains kept running during the maintenance since warning tech wasn’t available in Wales, thus lookouts were needed.
No lookout was present on that curved track, and the workers used loud machines. The machines made it impossible to hear a train. Network Rail had serious safety failures because they didn’t properly monitor safe work practices.
Training came from unqualified people who didn’t fully understand track work. Safe Work Plans appeared last minute, and authorization became a simple formality. Consequently, shortcuts happened frequently on the tracks.
Safety monitoring was inadequate, and Network Rail knew of the problems. Their response had a “catastrophic lack of urgency,” and the maintenance was deemed “unnecessary,” as the upgrade “did not need doing at all.” Families of Delbridge and Lewis gave statements, with Carol Delbridge saying their lives were “shattered” by her husband’s death. He was a father, grandfather, and great-grandfather whose loss created an irreplaceable void.
Lewis’s family described him as their “rock” who always went “above and beyond.” They grieved losing their “rock” and wanted justice, stating, “No one should go to work and never come home.”
Prashant Popart KC represented Network Rail and called it a “horrific, tragic and preventable incident.” Two employees “needlessly lost their lives,” and another employee faced serious risk. The company took responsibility for the incident and apologized for it to the families.
Track worker safety vastly improved and the UK now has one of the best records. He denied a lack of urgency tackling safety issues and stated that cost savings weren’t above safety. Network Rail accepts its failures caused death and the company didn’t know why the work happened. A line block existed for that afternoon, but he didn’t know why they lacked a lookout. Systems existed, but weren’t followed well and Network Rail failed to enforce them properly.
Recorder Christian Jowett spoke about safety standards that didn’t address known issues. The safety standards rollout was “ineffective,” which Network Rail knew, or should have. Staff created seemingly compliant workarounds that they used on the day of the incident.
Network Rail received a £3,750,000 fine after discount and had 42 days to pay; additionally, they must pay £175,000 towards costs. The recorder offered his condolences.
Nick Millington said after the judgment that the deaths should never have happened. He meets with the families regularly and sends thoughts to all those affected. They’ve transformed workforce safety since the event, with new technology and reduced work during train runs. The judgment shows safety must come first and that they will make railways as safe as they can. Richard Hines, the HM Chief Inspector of Railways, also gave a statement. He deeply regrets their loss with the families, as the court imposed a £3.75m fine on Network Rail.