Monday, April 19, 2010

INCIDENT: Waterloo Road AHB, Wokingham, Berkshire 06.03.10

A car driver died when his car was hit by a train on a Berkshire level crossing.

David Francis Brown died at the scene after his Vauxhall Corsa was struck by a passenger train at the Waterloo Road automatic half-barrier crossing. No casualties were reported on the train, which did not derail.

Photo (c) Alan WD on Panoramio

ABUSE: Wem MCB, Shropshire

Drivers continue to run the red lights at a Shropshire crossing, despite a safety campaign that highlighted the dangers.

Since August 2009 over fifty drivers have been prosecuted for failing to stop at the crossing in Wem, making it the sixth-most abused crossing in the UK.

CCTV footage of drivers running the lights can be seen here.

INCIDENT: Hoy AOCL 09.01.10

A van struck the side of a passenger train at an automatic open crossing at Hoy, near Halkirk in Scotland.

British Transport Police reported that the van driver attempted to brake but hit the rear coach of the Inverness to Wick service. He was taken to Caithness General Hospital in Wick with a wrist injury. No injuries were reported on the train, which did not derail.

National Rail stated that the crossing was working correctly at the time on the incident. British Transport Police said they had charged the van driver with a road traffic offence in connection with the accident. Train driver's union Aslef claim that the severity of the incident was mitigated as a result of their 'go-slow' policy - instructing drivers to reduce speed at AOCLs after a series of accidents in recent months.

Photo (c) Phil Williams on Geograph