Criminal charges brought over the Hatfield Train Crash

19 August 2005

Criminal charges have been brought over the Hatfield train crash, the Crown Prosecution Service has announced.

Six men, Network Rail and Balfour Beatty have been charged with gross negligence, manslaughter and an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act. A further six men are being summonsed for offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act only.

Four people died in the crash in Hertfordshire in October 2000, when a broken rail caused a GNER East Coast high-speed train to derail just south of Hatfield station. Dozens more were injured in the crash when carriages overturned.

Three Railtrack executives and two Balfour Beatty managers have already been charged. Another Railtrack employee will be charged later on Wednesday.

Railtrack, which has since been taken over by Network Rail, was in charge of the rail infrastructure at the time of the crash.

Court date

The stretch of line where the crash happened was managed by Balfour Beatty. Those charged have been bailed to appear at Central Hertfordshire Magistrates" Court in St Albans at 1000BST on 14 July.

The two corporations, and those persons who received summonses, are due to appear at the same court on the same date.