£2.3m fine for Stagecoach Midlands after crash

Judge finds that ‘failings of the company were a significant cause’ of October 2015 Coventry accident

Midland Red (South) Ltd, trading as Stagecoach Midlands, has been fined £2.34m after one of its buses crashed into a supermarket in Coventry in October 2015.

The company had earlier pleaded guilty to two offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act: Failing to ensure the safety of employees, and failing to prevent or control risks of driver error due to lack of capability and/or fatigue and/or working hours.

Driver Kailash Chander, who was 77 at the time of the accident, had been the subject of multiple complaints from passengers about his competence. Data from vehicle telematics also showed that his performance was inadequate and he received additional training.

It was found that Mr Chander had worked an average of 72 hours per week prior to the accident taking place.

He mistook the accelerator pedal for the brake and crashed into a Sainsbury’s supermarket, killing a 76-year-old pedestrian and a boy, 7, who was sitting on the upper deck of the Dennis Trident.

Mr Chander was given a two-year supervision order. Judge Paul Farrer QC said that if Stagecoach had followed its own policies then Mr Chander would not have been driving.

Stagecoach Midlands MD Phil Medlicott read a statement following the hearing that accepted the judgment. “While we met in full the regulations surrounding driver working hours and had all of the relevant checks in place, our own detailed policies were not followed as closely as they should have been.

“There were failures at an operational level in driver supervision and we deeply regret the opportunities that were missed to act decisively on emerging warning signs.”