Rail report reveals how group of youngsters could have been hit by train on Hampshire level crossing

The incident report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch looked at an incident at Farnborough North in May last year.

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At 8.20am on Thursday, May 19, said investigators, 144 people were waiting on the east side of the railway to use the level crossing – there is no footbridge or subway at the station.

Most of the people waiting had got off a train that was in the station, and the crossing gates were locked until that train departed.

A spokesperson said: ‘The crossing users were mostly young people. They were regular users of the station and normally had to wait before crossing the railway to continue their journey to school or college.

‘After the train departed, miniature stop lights at the crossing changed from red to green and an audible warning stopped, indicating that it was safe to cross the railway.

‘A crossing attendant, located in a cabin next to the crossing on the east side of the railway, responded by turning a switch to remotely unlock the pedestrian gates at both ends of the crossing. The person at the front of the queue opened the gate and the group started to cross the railway. Each person held the gate open for the person following them.

‘When around half the group had crossed, the miniature stop lights changed from green to red and the audible warning started, indicating that another train was approaching.’

This was the 7.02am Great Western Railway service from Gatwick Airport to Reading.

The report outlines how the crossing attendant turned the switch to lock the gates, but people continued to pass through the gate until the crossing attendant left their cabin and directly intervened to close it.

The driver of a train approaching from around a bend in the track saw people on the crossing ahead and applied the train’s emergency brake and sounded the horn.

The crossing was clear before the train passed over it. The driver was shaken by the incident but was fit to continue. There were no injuries to passengers or crossing users.

The report also says: ‘Farnborough North footpath crossing is considered a high-risk location because of the limited sighting of trains, the number of

daily users and a history of safety incidents. In 2013, Network Rail installed additional “back-to-back” miniature warning lights to help with user decision making. Network Rail subsequently provided a crossing attendant and lockable gates to manage the risk until it could permanently close the crossing and replace it with a footbridge.

‘RAIB’s investigation found, however, that Network Rail had not developed a plan or training which would enable the crossing attendant to effectively manage the residual risks that remained at the crossing following the installation of lockable gates. RAIB also found that the project to construct an accessible footbridge had not obtaine planning approval over a prolonged period because of land ownership issues and the need to design a compliant structure which was suitable for the constrained site.’

RAIB has told Network Rail to improve its risk assessment for footpath level crossings where there is a history of safety issues, and to formalise its competency requirements for temporary and interim crossing attendants.

The report adds: ‘RAIB has also identified one learning point for railway organisations which are reminded that complex projects, or those requiring engagement with external stakeholders over an extended period, require managerial continuity.’

Mark Killick, Network Rail’s Wessex route director, said: ‘We welcome and accept the recommendations made to us by RAIB and will continue to do everything we can to make the railway safer.

‘We know that Farnborough North level crossing is used by very large groups of people and despite having warning lights, sirens and a crossing attendant on site, this incident demonstrates there still is potential for it to be misused with gates held open and the warning system being ignored.

‘At Farnborough North, the way to eliminate the risk is to divert the crossing and close it. As the level crossing provides the only access across platforms and to the wider community, we cannot close it without providing an alternative crossing. We’re continuing to work closely with partners to replace it with a new accessible footbridge but this involves planning.’