Our thoughts today are with the families and friends of the three people who needlessly lost their lives as a result of the Stonehaven derailment in August 2020, as investigators publish their final report into the reasons for the crash.
It is particularly difficult to learn that negligence on the part of Network Rail, Abellio ScotRail and Carillion was the cause of these entirely avoidable deaths. It should not be forgotten that six more passengers were injured and are now left to live with the lasting trauma, whether physical or psychological, of the incident.
The failings of these companies must be addressed, and justice must be served for those who died and their loved ones.
Alongside this, however, it is vital that practical steps are immediately taken to ensure a similar tragedy never happens again.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch’s findings and recommendations should prompt an overhaul of railway operations and maintenance across Scotland and the rest of the UK. With any luck, the wider world will also be paying attention; these learnings can save lives.
We need transparency and change
Going forward, Scottish residents deserve clarity about the work being done to change and improve the safety of our railways, whether structural or relating to staff training and protocol. Given today’s revelations, these businesses will not win back the trust of passengers and staff without transparency.
Though extensive and long-awaited, clearly this report is only the beginning of the recovery process.
A full-scale review of the rail network is now needed. Distressingly, it seems feasible that there may be other areas of concern on certain stretches of track that even the experts do not currently know about.
With climate change affecting the weather and causing parts of Scotland’s landscape to change rapidly, there is no excuse for complacency.
Apologies will not right past wrongs, but they are powerfully important. So is actively working to avoid future disaster.
The Voice of the North is The Press & Journal’s editorial stance on what we think is the most important story of the day
Read the full story:
- Stonehaven rail crash: Staff failed to impose speed limit despite knowing of hazards on network
- Stonehaven rail crash: Investigator’s animation shows how disaster unfolded
- Stonehaven rail crash: 7 key failings explained
- Stonehaven rail crash: Key recommendations from the accident investigators
- Stonehaven rail crash: Families react to report with ‘disbelief and anger’
- Stonehaven rail crash: What happens next?
- Stonehaven rail crash: How our team responded to the challenge of reporting on a tragedy that united the region in grief
