A Scottish court is set to deal today with the prosecution case against Network Rail following the fatal Carmont derailment. Three people on board a train were killed in 2020 when it was derailed by debris washed on to the track near Stonehaven on 12 August, which was a day of heavy storms. Some of the vehicles in the ScotRail HST were overturned down an embankment in the crash, which claimed the lives of 45-year old driver Brett McCullough, 58-year old conductor Donald Dinnie and 62-year old passenger Christopher Stuchbury. The charges have not been specified, but will be brought at Aberdeen High Court  by His Majesty’s Advocate under section 76 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, which applies where notice has been given that a defendant will plead guilty.

HS2 viaduct

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council has approved HS2’s plans for a 425m viaduct which will cross Balsall Common. The plans incorporate local feedback over environmental sustainability, integration with the landscape, the structure’s design and public access.The project is being led by HS2’s main works contractor, Balfour Beatty VINCI, supported by a Design Joint Venture of Mott MacDonald and SYSTRA and architects Weston Williamson + Partners, who have been collecting the opinions of local people. The plans include wet woodland planting with native species, woodland edge planting to provide screens and hedgerow planting to improve the conditions for wildlife.

Train trips for ten pence

Northern has released a final 100,000 tickets as part of its Flash Sale, all priced at 10p. They must be bought at least seven days in advance of travel. The journeys include York to Blackpool North, Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton and Sheffield to Leeds. Northern said it was hoping to provide ’a post-summer holiday boost to visitor numbers’. Northern’s Sale began on 4 September, with five million tickets offered at fares between 50p and £2. All the offers close at 18.00 today.