Stonehaven rail crash: Accident shames Network Rail, says Anas Sarwar
The Scottish Labour leader hit out at the age of the train which was involved in the tragedy.
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Your support makes all the difference.The report into the Stonehaven rail crash should “shame” Network Rail and raises questions for Abellio and the Scottish Government, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said.
Raising the issue at First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, he asked why trains which were decades old were in service on the route.
An investigation by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) found failings by Network Rail and Carillion led to the fatal crash in August 2020.
The train derailed after hitting gravel and stony material washed onto the tracks by intense rain after errors in the construction of a drainage system.
It also found the train involved was designed before modern safety standards were introduced, with the report saying “it is more likely than not that the outcome would have been better” if a train built to current regulations was involved.
Three people, including the train’s driver, Brett McCullough, were killed in the crash and six people were injured.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, Mr Sarwar said: “This morning’s report should shame Network Rail and Carillion.
“But there are questions for Abellio and the Scottish Government too.
“The train that was operating on this route was decades old, they were first introduced into service in the mid-70s and didn’t comply with safety standards set in 1994.”
He asked if the trains in question would be withdrawn from service.
Mr Sarwar added: “There remain questions about the standard of trains and the levels of staffing.
“But what we must never forget is that the heart of this are victims and families who have been failed by powerful corporations and public bodies.
“And they shouldn’t have to wait years to get answers.”
Nicola Sturgeon said it was important to note that the report did not place any blame on the way Mr McCullough was driving the train.
The accident was caused by the infrastructure rather than the train, Ms Sturgeon said.
While ScotRail was owned by Abellio at the time, she said, it will come into public ownership on April 1.
She said: “As the report notes, the refurbished high-speed train that derailed was fully compliant with legal requirements to operate.
“However, since it was designed and constructed, railway standards have continued to improve, reflecting lessons learned from investigations of this type.”
A further report will be undertaken into the crash, she said, which will report to the procurator fiscal later this year.
The RAIB’s report was undertaken to establish the facts of the crash on a “no-blame” basis, the First Minister said.