The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) recently completed a preliminary examination into the collision between a delivery van and a train that occurred at Home Farm user worked level crossing, near Alsager, at around 1pm hrs on Saturday 11 February 2023.
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RAIB’s preliminary examination found that the accident occurred because the van was driven onto the level crossing area when a train was approaching. While the van driver was able to stop the van before the train reached the crossing, the front of the van remained close enough to the rails to be struck by the train. Although the train driver saw the van around 3 to 4 seconds before reaching the crossing and applied the brakes and sounded the warning horn, the train was still travelling at about 30 mph (48 km/h) when the collision occurred. Neither the van driver nor anybody on the train was injured, although the collision caused serious damage to the van and some damage to the train.
