A bus driver who was sacked following an incident in which his single-decker bus crashed into a house has been awarded £60,000 in compensation.

Robert Corrin was fired after leaving his bus without putting the handbrake, which led to the vehicle running into a house. The Employment Tribunal heard he hadn’t been given sufficient training. Mr Corrin had stopped his bus after being distracted by a flashing blind. He applied the hold brake rather than the handbrake but was unaware that using the isolator switch to reset the blind would disengage the hold brake. As a result, the single decker rolled and hit a property.

Following an internal investigation, Mr Corrin was dismissed, with his appeal being rejected. However, the Tribunal heard that no proper training had been given to drivers as to when to use the hold-brake and why it shouldn’t be relied upon. It also ruled that “the dismissal was unfair because of the inadequate investigations that had been made and the flawed procedure followed” and added, “On a proper investigation, facts would have been found which would have put the circumstances of the bus running away into a fair and proper perspective”.

All employees must understand the importance of following safe working procedures. The level of training will vary depending on the nature of the job, the level of risk and the competency of the person.

Whilst Mr Corrin is entitled to about £415,000 in lost earnings, benefits, rights and free bus travel, a compensation cap meant the panel could only award £56,000. Coupled with the basic award of £4,816, his total payment reached £60,000.