£300,000 fine over boy's track death

Two firms were fined a total of £300,000 today for breaching health and safety rules in relation to the death of a fouryearold boy who was electrocuted on a railway line.

Bobby Wood died after cycling through an open gate, a work yard and onto a live rail while playing near Strood station in Kent on 15 June, 1999.

Balfour Beatty Rail Infrastructure Services and Network Rail Infrastructure pleaded guilty last year to charges under health and safety legislation that they failed to properly prevent public access to the line. Network Rail also admitted a similar charge under railway safety legislation.

Judge Andrew Patience QC, at Maidstone Crown Court, said the firms had shown a "slapdash" attitude to the question of site security.

Balfour Beatty was fined £150,000 while Network Rail was fined £75,000 for each of the two charges it admitted.