How can the Croydon tram driver be asleep for 49 seconds and not face a charge

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To any sensible person the result of the investigation into why tram driver Alfred Dorris was doing 47mph on a 12mph bend simply doesn’t make sense.

The investigation into how seven passengers died and 50 others were hurt was carried out by Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) .

This is what they said about the role played by Dorris.

• That Dorris had negotiated that bend 700 times over the previous two years.
• That he had fallen asleep for 49 seconds, possibly linked to fatigue. Not sure I understand that as the crash happened at 6.10am and I presume he only just clocked on. Had he been up late the night before and if so why?
• He woke up 2-3 seconds before the tram reached the curve. Why?
• Their verdict; “The accident was probably caused during a period of low workload which possibly caused him to microsleep.”

​How is it that Dorris was both suffering from fatigue and low work load at the same time?

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Further the investigators discovered there had been other speeding and heavy braking incidents at that bend but had not been reported by the drivers because they “ feared the consequences” and the “attitude of some managers”.

How thick are those tram drivers? They should have fessed up and should not have been speeding. Look at the consequences. And it is the manager’s job to take them to task.

I imagine they all belong to a union.

The coroner decided that the RAIB investigation was so complete they did not need to hear from Dorris. That was quite wrong.

The families were entitled to cross-examine the man whose mistakes-either falling asleep or negligence - had led to the deaths of their nearest and dearest.

They are demanding a fresh inquest. I do hope they get it.

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