Regulator expected to drop proceedings against the firm for incident that killed seven people

The Office of Rail Regulation is expected to drop legal proceedings against Jarvis over the derailment of a train at Potters Bar Station on 10 May 2002.

Seven people died and 76 were injured when the Kings Lynn bound train derailed at high speed. At the time Jarvis had been contracted by Railtrack to maintain lines in the Potters Bar area.

The crash marked a turning point for the rail industry as a new era of privatisation was ushered in.

It is believed Jarvis’s financial problems significantly influenced ORR’s decision. The firm’s rail division went into administration last year which complicated prosecution moves by ORR.

Jarvis admitted to joint liability for the crash after initially blaming the crash on a saboteur with informed engineering knowledge.

An ORR announcement is expected later today.

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