A rail company has been fined £1 million after a woman died in a tragic train accident. Bethan Roper, 28, was killed in 2018 when her head struck a tree branch while leaning out of a train window near Bath. The train was traveling at 75mph.
Investigators found Great Western Railway (GWR) failed to act on earlier safety warnings about droplight windows, which allowed passengers to lean outside. “Her death was a preventable tragedy,” said Richard Hines, Chief Inspector of Railways. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) also ordered GWR to pay £78,000 in costs.
Roper, a charity worker, had been returning home from Christmas shopping with friends. Her family described the loss as devastating. “Our thoughts remain with her family and friends,” a GWR spokesperson said, acknowledging the company’s failings.
Since her death, trains with droplight windows have been withdrawn or fitted with safety controls. This case stands as a powerful reminder: passenger safety must always come before convenience.
