Sacked driver slams rail safety

Sacked driver slams rail safety

The sacking stemmed from an incident at Slade Green station

A train driver who was sacked after leaving a train unattended says his former employers have a "cosmetic" attitude to safety.

Jim Kelly, from Kent, was dismissed by Connex after the incident in February 2002.

But he has told an employment tribunal he believes he was sacked because he was a "whistle blower", causing a fuss about breaches of health and safety law.

Connex has denied the claims, saying the driver was sacked only for being in breach of a serious safety rule.

'Tried calling for help'

Mr Kelly, from Swanscombe, pulled into Slade Green station in north Kent at the end of his shift in February last year.

He says when no relief driver appeared to take over from him he tried to call for help using the train's radio and then the signal phone.

Their attention to safety is all cosmetic, absolutely cosmetic

Train driver Jim Kelly

He says neither worked so he left the train and went for help - but Connex disputes his claims.

The train firm says he should not have left the train unattended and, three months later, sacked him.

His case has been the subject of a four-day employment tribunal in Ashford.

Mr Kelly, who was a union health and safety rep, says he was dismissed because he had previously highlighted problems with safety.

'Eager to get home'

He said: "I think the real reason I was sacked was for bringing safety issues to the management's attention.

"All the managers are paid performance bonuses for the number of trains they have out on the tracks, it doesn't take a genius to work out that they will get those trains out whatever the consequences.

"Their attention to safety is all cosmetic, absolutely cosmetic."

Connex says Mr Kelly left the train because his shift had ended and he was eager to get home.

It disputes his suggestion the train's phone did not work and says he did not do enough to call for help.

A decision from the tribunal is not expected for several months.