Justice for our loved ones
Families back tram trial
FAMILIES of seven passengers killed in the Croydon Tram Crash welcomed a decision to bring criminal charges yesterday – saying: “This is justice for our loved ones.”
Driver Alfred Dorris, 46, faces trial for alleged breaches of health and safety laws, as do Tram Operations Ltd and Transport for London.
Dorris was allegedly doing 45mph in a 12mph zone when his tram shot off the tracks on a sharp bend.
He is accused of “an alleged failure as an employee to take reasonable care of passengers whilst employed at work driving the tram”. If found guilty, he could face up to two years in prison and an unlimited fine. TfL and ToL could also face an unlimited financial penalty.
Denies
Passengers were “whirled around as if they were in a washing machine”, an inquest heard last year. It was also told that Dorris may have slipped into a “microsleep” for up to a minute – an allegation he strongly denies.
Dane Chinnery, 19, Philip Seary, 57, Dorota Rynkiewicz, 35, Robert Huxley, 63, and Philip Logan, 52, all from New Addington, south London, and Donald Collett, 62, and Mark Smith, 35, both from Croydon, also south London, were killed in the crash at 6am on November 9, 2016.
Another 51 passengers were injured when the tram came off the tracks at Sandilands, near Croydon.
The inquest jury concluded the crash was an accident, which ruled out the possibility of a prosecution for unlawful killing. The health and safety charges are being brought by the railway watchdog, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).
Ian Prosser, ORR’s chief inspector of railways, said: “We’ve made a fair, independent and objective assessment, and it is for the court to consider if any law has been breached.”
Danielle Wynne, Mr Logan’s granddaughter, said: “It’s not the criminal charges I was hoping for, but that was never going to happen with the law and how it is. But I will be in that courtroom however long it takes. It’s justice for our loved ones.”
Danielle, of Rochester, Kent, is campaigning to change the law.
Currently the charge of death by dangerous driving, or death by careless driving, does not apply to trams when they are not on the road.
A court date has to be set.