TfL: Near-miss was our fault

Tube bosses and their contractors today admitted full responsibility for dropping half a ton of concrete in front of a mainline commuter train.

The driver slammed on the brakes and the train remained on the tracks despite hitting the huge slabs, which had fallen from a Transport for London bridge outside Liverpool Street station, just after 7pm on 28 May. It was installed by Balfour Beatty-Carillon Joint Venture and Fairfield Mabey.

A TfL report today concludes: "The whole incident had a high potential for injury, even fatality, to passengers using the Great Eastern lines." The report says incorrectly placed padding contributed to the fall after a jack slipped.

A TfL spokesman said: "There are no plans to sack anyone. It was human error and a freak set of circumstances."