Marlborough Highways has been fined £1m following the death of a worker on one of the company's sites in 2022.
The road maintenance specialists were the subject of a joint investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Metropolitan police after one of its employees, Robert Morris, was killed by a reversing road sweeper while resurfacing Pemberton Road in Haringey, North London, on 20 May 2022.
Following the investigation, Marlborough was found to have failed to provide adequate segregation between people and moving vehicles on the work site and failed to use a banksman when the vehicle was reversing, which led to it striking the 48-year-old.
According to the HSE, Marlborough pleaded guilty to Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £1m at City of London Magistrates' Court on 3 October 2025. The company was also ordered to pay full court costs, which came to £6,028.
HSE also stated that, based on evidence submitted by the police to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the driver of the vehicle was prosecuted separately and received a suspended prison sentence.
HSE principal inspector, James Goldfinch, said: ‘Our thoughts are with Robert's family, described by his widow as "the centre of our world". She says his children are "sad and angry and cheated of so much of their future".
‘Robert was entitled to return home safely from work to his family but the lack of segregation of vehicles and pedestrians by Marlborough Highways Limited meant he did not.
‘This was a case where appropriate controls had been identified but were not being implemented on site.'
Matthew Revell, managing director for Marlborough Highways, said: ‘We fully accept the outcome and our thoughts remain with Rob's family and loved ones. Marlborough continues to place the highest importance on health and safety, ensuring the wellbeing of our people and the communities we serve.'
