The RMT has called for an end to outsourcing, in response to the findings of a fatal accident inquiry into the derailment at Carmont in north east Scotland more than six years ago.

A ScotRail HST was derailed and plunged down an embankment in August 2020 after it had collided with debris washed on to the track, and three people were killed.

Sheriff Lesley Johnston concluded that a drain was not constructed and installed in accordance with its design. He said precautions could have been taken which ‘might realistically have avoided the accident’.

Driver Brett McCullough, 45, conductor Donald Dinnie, 58, and passenger Christopher Stuchbury, 62, all lost their lives.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch made 20 safety recommendations in its 2022 report into the derailment.

Network Rail was fined £6.7 million after it admitted maintenance and inspection failures before the crash, as well as failing to warn the driver that the track was unsafe.

The Fatal Accident Inquiry found that contractor Carillion had been instructed by Network Rail to build a new drain in the area of the derailment, but that it was not installed in accordance with the design. The firm had collapsed into compulsory liquidation more than two years before the accident, in January 2018.

The inquiry concluded: ‘The drain was unable to accommodate the flow of surface water during the intense rainfall in the area on 12 August 2020.’

RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said that Network Rail needed to ‘move away’ from outsourcing renewals and maintenance works on rail infrastructure and bring the work in house.

He continued: ‘This would ensure that work is carried out to the correct standard by trained staff with appropriate resources to ensure rail travel remains a safe method of transportation in Britain. We also support the removal of the ancient intercity fleet of rolling stock involved in this crash as it is clearly not up to modern standards.’

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