One of the train companies involved in the Paddington rail crash is suing the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Thames Trains alleges the HSE did not supervise safety of the railways adequately.
…
One of the train companies involved in the Paddington rail crash is suing the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Thames Trains alleges the HSE did not supervise safety of the railways adequately.
The driver of the Thames train went through a red light before colliding with a Great Western express, in the 1999 crash in which 31 died.
A spokesman for the St Paul Insurance, insurers of the Thames train, said: "Thames Trains has issued proceedings against the HSE.
"It is about the whole safety environment, that includes the operation of the infrastructure and the regime responsible for driver training."
He added that the exact amount of the claim was not quantifiable at present, as more than 500 claims resulted from the crash, with many still to be settled.
An HSE spokeswoman said it would fight the claim for compensation.
"We have been served with a notice of intent. We do not accept liability and we have instructed Treasury solicitors to defend the claim."
She added that the HSE had not yet received full details of the claim from insurers.
Thames Trains also issued High Court proceedings against Railtrack in October last year to recover some of the cost of compensation.
The St Paul Insurance spokesman said Thames Trains was still hopeful that the claims could be settled out of court.
He said the proceedings had to be issued because of statutory constraints. These stipulate that legal proceedings must be brought within two years of an incident or not at all.
