UCATT boss welcomes Hatfield charges

The general secretay of construction union UCATT has welcomed today's decision by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to bring criminal charges against Balfour Beatty, Network Rail and six senior managers over the fatal Hatfield crash.

The CPS has confirmed that Network Rail, the successor to Railtrack, Balfour Beatty and six individuals have been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. A further six men are being summonsed for offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act only.

George Brumwell said: "There is going to be a tough and bloody battle between the state and big business. The defendants will fight tooth and nail to escape the consequences of their actions.

"It is excellent that the principle of charging both companies and individual managers has been established, and we shall now see the truth unfurl.

"In the construction industry we suffer from managerial neglect every day. Directors seek to cut corners and the number of deaths and injuries is rising rapidly. It's time for the killing to stop, and it will only stop when bold, decisive action is taken like that we have seen today," he said.

Balfour Beatty issued a statement this afternoon which said that it intended to "vigorously defend" the charges laid against it.

The prosecution is not expected to go to court for at least a year and the trial could last between three and six months.