A leading rail union has called for “urgent action” on the fifth anniversary of the Stonehaven / Carmont rail disaster, which claimed the lives of three people, amid concerns that eight vital safety recommendations remain unimplemented.
On 12 August 2020, a ScotRail train struck a landslip and derailed near Carmont, Aberdeenshire, following exceptional rainfall. Driver Brett McCullough, conductor Donald Dinnie, and passenger Christopher Stuchbury lost their lives, and six others were injured. Following the tragedy, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) issued 20 safety recommendations aimed at preventing such incidents in the future, focusing on areas like drainage design, train crashworthiness, and the training of railway controllers.
However, five years later, the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has warned that eight of those recommendations remain outstanding, leaving rail workers and passengers at risk.
RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said:
“Our thoughts today are with the families of Donald, Brett and Chris, and with those injured and traumatised in the crash. But remembrance alone is not enough – there must be action, and it needs to be urgent. It is outrageous that five years after the accident took place, and three years since the RAIB set out what needed to change, that so many safety recommendations are still outstanding. We demand better – for those we lost, for those who survived and for the safety of every worker and passenger going forward.”
A 2024 report confirmed that eight out of 20 recommendations remain “open,” including key areas such as control room capabilities, design standards for drainage, and effective training for managing extreme weather risks.
Network Rail, which was fined £6.7million last year after admitting failures that contributed to the crash, insists it has made “meaningful progress” and is investing over £400million to make the network more resilient to severe weather, including enhanced weather forecasting and targeted infrastructure upgrades.
A spokesperson said:
“Meaningful progress has been made on the recommendations from the Carmont investigation… and we continue to work closely with the ORR [Office of Rail and Road], train operators, and other key stakeholders.”
However, both the RAIB and the ORR have indicated that continuing with the ‘current approach’ may result in repeated tragedies if lessons are not fully learned and measures not comprehensively delivered.
The Scottish and UK governments have both reiterated that rail safety remains a “key priority,” and have called for all required improvements to be implemented as soon as possible.
