Midland Red (South) Ltd the bus company has been handed a £2.3million fine after ignoring 24 warnings about Kailash Chander's erratic driving. Chander an 80-year-old bus driver with dementia had smashed into a Sainsbury supermarket in Coventry killing two people including a seven-year-old boy in 2015.
Mr Chander had been driving dangerously when he mistook the accelerator for the brake, a fact finding trial concluded and is now deemed unfit to stand trial due to dementia. But he has received a two-year medical supervision order after a two0day hearing at Birmingham Crown Court.
The bus company, which is part of Stagecoach group, admitted allowing Mr Chander to work more than 70-hours a week.It also admitted allowing him to continue working despite warnings about his driving.
Phil Medlicott, managing director of Midland Red (South) Ltd said the company was "deeply sorry" and "bears the weight of our responsibility for this tragedy". The company has "made several key changes", Mr Medlicott said, including stronger controls on working hours and more medical testing for drivers.
