Death of Edinburgh man who was hit by a tram to be examined by sheriff

Published date18 April 2024
AuthorDavid Meikle
Publication titleEdinburghLive (Scotland)
Carlos Hernan Correa Palacio, 53, died after he was struck in the Saughton area of the city while making his way home from work

Edinburgh Trams Limited(ETL) were fined £240,000 last year after admitting a breach of health and safety legislation over the incident of September 2018.

Mr Correa's family said they hoped there would never be a repeat of the 'needless tragedy'. Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard the tram's driver took a series of actions after first spotting Correa on the crossing.

READ MORE -Edinburgh paramedics rush to emergency collision on M8 as motorists tailed back

READ MORE -Edinburgh parents fume after fly-tippers dump heaps of rubbish outside nursery

The driver first spotted him when the tram was around 240ft away from the crossing before he started sounding his bell and slowed down. When he was 60ft from the crossing, the driver applied the emergency brake, which caused a warning horn to sound.

But Correa, a bus driver, was unaware of the tram until it was too late to get out of its way. A subsequent investigation by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch called for louder tram horns and improved visibility at crossings.

A fatal accident inquiry is now to be held at Edinburgh Sheriff Court into the tragedy. It is expected to focus on risk assessment and safety management at ETL in addition to issues surrounding pedestrian safety at crossings and warning systems fitted to trams.

Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox

Prosecutor Andy Shanks said: "The tragic death of...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT