Network Rail files £5 million claim over 2020 Llangennech fuel spill derailment

Network Rail has lodged a High Court claim against DB Cargo UK and Touax Rail, demanding over £5 million in damages for a derailment that occurred in August 2020 near Llangennech, Carmarthenshire. The accident involved ten of a 25-wagon train leaving the line, releasing 446,000 litres of fuel, of which 116,000 litres ignited while the remainder seeped into wetlands designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation.

Network Rail asserts that the wagon was not maintained with reasonable care by Touax and that DB Cargo failed to fulfill its contractual obligation to ensure proper maintenance. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch’s 2022 report identified a wheel-locking defect, likely stemming from inadequate maintenance practices, as the cause. Although no one was injured, about 300 people were evacuated and the line remained closed for six months, with full reopening taking almost a year after extensive soil removal. A hearing is pending, and DB Cargo and Touax have yet to file defenses.