Inquest into Croydon tram crash to begin in September 2020

Croydon Town Hall will be the venue for the jury inquest into the seven deaths in the 2016 Sandilands tram crash. The inquest is expected to last 12 weeks, and will begin in September 2020.

The inquest opened in November 2016 and was immediately adjourned subject to a decision on whether or not to charge the driver with any criminal offences.

The Crown Prosecution Service and British Transport Police announced last month that Alfred Dorris, the driver, will not be charged with gross negligence manslaughter, nor would any other charges be brought relating to the tram crash.

Yesterday, short pre-inquest hearing was held at the Town Hall.

Sarah Ormrod-Walshe, the senior coroner for south London, formally resumed the inquests into the deaths of Dane Chinnery, Donald Collett, Robert Huxley, Philip Logan, Dorota Rynkiewicz, Philip Seary and Mark Smith who were all killed on November 9, 2016.

The pre-hearing heard that interested parties at the inquest will include representatives from families of those who died, Tram Operations London (the division of FirstGroup who operate the tram network), Transport for London, British Transport Police and a lawyer for Mr Dorris.

There is to be a further pre-hearing next month to consider the scope of the inquest. A date for this has yet to be set.


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News, views and analysis about the people of Croydon, their lives and political times in the diverse and most-populated borough in London. Based in Croydon and edited by Steven Downes. To contact us, please email inside.croydon@btinternet.com
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1 Response to Inquest into Croydon tram crash to begin in September 2020

  1. Lewis White says:

    I hope that the driver shift system comes under scrutiny, and the adequacy of warning signage and alerts on the approaches to this 90 degree bend, and indeed the cab design, and warning systems generally.

    Sometimes accidents result from a fatal combination of factors, not just one.

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