Bus operator Arriva and a cleaning firm have been ordered to pay over £50,000 by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after a "much loved young man" was killed by a reversing bus in Hemel Hempstead.

Albin Trstena, from Tottenham, had been working for Cordant Cleaning Limited on November 5, 2019, when he was hit by the vehicle being driven by a colleague.

The 25-year-old sustained fatal injuries after he had been working in the yard of Arriva’s Hemel Hempstead bus depot, and the vehicle was reversed out of the wash down area.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Arriva failed to properly assess the risk of vehicle-pedestrian conflict, and both they and Cordant Cleaning Limited - subsequently known as C.L.C Realisations Limited - failed to implement a suitable system of work to control this risk.

Herts Advertiser: The incident took palce at the Arrive bus depot in Hemel Hempstead.The incident took palce at the Arrive bus depot in Hemel Hempstead. (Image: Google Maps)

There were also insufficient measures in place to protect pedestrians from vehicles being moved around the depot and to ensure that walkways within the perimeter of the yard were being utilised.

Arriva pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and have been fined £32,000 and ordered to pay costs of £22,392.

C.L.C Realisations Limited offered no plea but was found guilty of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and fined a nominal £1,000.

In a statement read at St Albans Magistrates’ Court, Albin’s sister Albina said how his death had been "devastating" for their family.

“When we received the news Albin had died, we were left devastated and our whole world came crashing down around us,” she said.

“His presence at home was so alive.

“Albin would always do lots for the family, but not just for the family, he gave of himself and would always help other people where he could.

“He was a brother and son to be proud of.”

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HSE inspector Roxanne Barker added: “This tragic incident led to the avoidable death of a much loved young man.

“There was a failure to undertake safety measures to segregate vehicles and pedestrians.

“They also failed to properly consider who was responsible for determining and implementing suitable measures to ensure safe working practices when contracting out some of the activities performed within a shared workplace.”