Legal News

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is to investigate a serious incident in which two track workers narrowly avoiding being hit by a train at Camden Junction South in London on 28 February 2017.

The incident occurred shortly after 1am on 28 February 2017, when two track workers were nearly hit by the 22:42 passenger train service from Wolverhampton to London Euston. No injuries were reported.

The incident took place close to Camden Junction South as the train was on its final approach to Euston Station – it was travelling on a line that the workers believed had been blocked to traffic, to allow engineering work to take place.

The train was rounding a curve at approximately 47mph (76km/h), when the driver became aware of a track worker – who had been installing a possession limit board associated with the engineering work – moving quickly off the line ahead of him.

The driver stopped his train and contacted the signaller to report a near miss with the track worker. The signaller then authorised the driver to continue into Euston Station.

The driver had accelerated the train to 24mph (39km/h), when he again applied the brake in response to seeing a second track worker on the line ahead.

The train stopped approximately 300 metres beyond its original stopping point adjacent to the track worker, who had also been installing equipment associated with the engineering work.

The track worker moved off the line when he became aware of the approaching train, but did not have time to reach a position of safety – a distance of at least 1.25 metres from the nearest line – before the train reached him, because he was working in an area some distance from the nearest position of safety.

The RAIB investigation will determine the sequence of events and will also include consideration of the way in which information about engineering possessions is published and disseminated – as well as the management of information about engineering possessions within signal boxes, any related issues associated with signaller workload and fatigue, and any relevant underlying management factors.

The RAIB investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry, the British Transport Police or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

The findings – including any recommendations to improve safety – will be published at the conclusion of the investigation, with a report made available on the RAIB website.

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Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors can advise train drivers and other railway workers injured at work as a result of negligence on how to make a no win no fee claim for compensation.

Personal injury claims for train drivers and railway workers have to be made within three years of injury or diagnosis of injury.

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For expert legal advice on no win no fee Train Drivers Injured At Work Claims, call Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors on 0333 772 0409.