Rail worker nearly hit by high speed train

1 day ago

Danny Fullbrook

BBC News, Bedfordshire

The incident took place on the Midland Main Line in Bedfordshire

Rail Accident Investigation Branch Two railway tracks run alongside each other. There is another track sitting parallel the other side of a central reservation of grass and bushes. The tracks are curving round a bend. — The incident took place on the Midland Main Line in Bedfordshire

A rail worker was nearly killed by a high speed train travelling at 104mph (167km/h), investigators said.

The near miss happened in April 2024 on the Midland Main Line at Chiltern Green in Bedfordshire.

In a report published on Thursday, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said that engineering contractors had crossed the track at the wrong place.

The contractor was told to review working practices.

The train driver performed an emergency brake and did not know whether they had hit the worker

Rail Accident Investigation Branch CCTV footage is grainy but a train can be seen on a track with a person in a bright high-vis outfit ahead walking near the track. — The train driver performed an emergency brake and did not know whether they had hit the worker

In the RAIB report, investigators said the worker was testing cables and walking to rejoin his group after a break at 09:53 GMT on 23 April.

The individual was on a railway bridge and there was limited space between the parapet and the tracks.

Having seen the worker, the driver sounded the horn before making an emergency stop.

"The driver was unsure if the train had struck the track worker," the report said.

Investigators said they had been shown the incorrect crossing location by a person in charge, despite the fact a safer spot had been identified by the project engineer.

The person in charge was unfamiliar with the location and documents about crossing had not been clear.

Chiltern Green is located between Harpenden in Hertfordshire and Luton Airport Parkway stations.

Investigators recommended that Network Rail reviewed some of its signage policy

Rail Accident Investigation Branch A railway line running across a bridge structure where there is a safety barrier to stop anybody falling off it on to the road below. — Investigators recommended that Network Rail reviewed some of its signage policy

The RAIB said Linbrooke Services Limited - which was carrying out the work - had revised how it planned its projects in the future and how workers should access the tracks.

Linbrooke was later acquired by Keltbray Infrastructure Services Limited.

The report recommended that Network Rail - which is in charge of maintaining the infrastructure - took extra steps to "eliminate or mitigate" the chances of workers accessing areas that they should not be.

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