Commuters in Bedford have been left furious after they were handed parking fines - despite being unable to collect their cars because of the fatal train crash. 

Around 100 people were injured and the train's driver, Shaun Burton, 60, was killed following the collision on Friday afternoon.

The incident, which occurred just south of the Elstow interchange between the A421 and the A6, saw a large emergency response with air ambulances and fire engines sent to the scene.

Network Rail said on Saturday that part of the East Midlands route remained closed as the emergency response continued and teams assessed damage to the trains and infrastructure.

But commuters onboard the train claim they were stuck on the vehicle for 'three hours' and unable to collect their cars from the station carpark - only to discover they had received a ticket in the morning. 

One person said: 'Why are you issuing parking tickets to cars at Bedford train station after [the] major incident? Police were telling people NOT to go to the station! How were we supposed to collect our cars? Or extend parking?'

He added: 'And to mention, I was stuck on the train behind the collision for three hours, evacuated onto the tracks then told to get home but I can’t collect my car! Got to the station this morning to find a ticket. Common sense and discretion seem to be missing here!' 

Other social media users took to X to express their sympathy.

One person said: 'Very cruel.' 

Another added: 'The brilliant quality of the British state and its officials on display here.'

The Bedford Station carpark contains 639 spaces and is normally open all day - with daily rate tickets priced at £4.10

APCOA Parking, which operates the site, has been contacted for comment.

Friday's incident marked the worst railway crash in Britain since the derailment of a train at Grayrigg in Cumbria in 2007 - when one person was killed and 100 injured.

The Luton Airport Express service running from Corby to St Pancras ploughed into the back of a Nottingham to St Pancras train at around 5.15pm.

Some travellers reported being 'flung' from their seats into the chairs and tables in front, before seeing the carriages fill with smoke – although the fire service has confirmed this was not the result of any blaze.

Amid reports of a technical fault with the first train's automatic warning system (AWS), passengers also hit out at the UK's ageing railway network.

The AWS system is designed to automatically apply the brakes if a driver fails to acknowledge an approaching red signal. 

It is understood the Luton Airport Express train collided with the other stationary EMR service while its driver was reporting the issue to maintenance staff by phone.

Yesterday tributes poured in for Mr Burton, the train's driver, who had spent his whole career in the transport industry, working on buses and coaches before moving to work on the railway later in his career.

A former colleague paid tribute on social media, calling him a ‘wonderful person’.

Posting on Facebook he added: ‘He had a gift for words – always knowing exactly what to say, offer wisdom or bring comfort when it was needed most.

'His wit was effortless, his humour unforgettable and his intelligence shone through every time I spoke to him.

‘But beyond his sharp mind and quick smile, he was simply a great man. Kind, generous, and genuine, he will leave a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to know him.’

Dave Calfe, general secretary of Aslef, the train drivers' union, said: 'We are all heartbroken by the death of Shaun Burton which leaves a hole in the lives of his family, friends, and colleagues, which will never be filled.

'Shaun, a driver at East Midlands Railway, joined the railway relatively late in life.

'He loved public transport – he used to work on buses and coaches – before he became a train driver seven years ago.

'He was dedicated to the job, and devoted to his colleagues and enormously popular at his depot.

'The railway family grieves his passing; no one should go off to work in the morning and not come home.

'Our thoughts are with his family and friends tonight.'