Council officials have been forced into a rare apology after issuing parking fines to stranded passengers at Bedford railway station following a fatal train collision last Friday. The decision has sparked outrage among those who received the penalties, despite being unable to access their cars due to the major incident.
The crash, which occurred near Bedford and resulted in the death of 60-year-old train driver Shaun Burton, involved two East Midlands Railway trains colliding at approximately 17:15 BST. Over 100 people were injured, with 53 still in hospital as of Monday – eight in critical condition. The train line remains closed this week.
One passenger who received a penalty ticket shared an image on social media, highlighting the council's decision to issue fines despite police advice to avoid the station. His paid parking expired at midnight on Friday, but a ticket was issued at 09:00 on Saturday while he was evacuated from behind the crash site.
The car park in question is managed by Bedford Borough Council, who stated they were aware of the matter and apologised for any incorrect tickets issued. They claimed "corrective action" had been taken and urged those affected to contact them via email to have their fines rescinded.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has praised the emergency services for their swift response to the disaster. An interim report from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) suggested that the Corby train, driven by Mr Burton, had passed a red signal before colliding with the stationary Nottingham train. Three community foundations have since established an appeal to raise funds for those affected by the crash.