Investigation finds level crossing safety failures after woman's death
An investigation has found that barriers and warning lights were not functioning at a level crossing where a woman died, raising concerns about safety maintenance.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A preliminary investigation has found that safety barriers and warning lights were not functioning at a level crossing in Lancashire when a car was hit by a train last month, killing a woman and leaving her young daughter critically injured.
The incident occurred on 26 June at 8:50 am at the Horton level crossing. Kerry Coombs and her eight-year-old daughter were in a car heading towards the crossing when they were struck by a train. The child remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has released its initial report. It states that the train passed a green signal on its approach and that preliminary evidence suggests the crossing's traffic lights and warning alarm had not activated, and the barriers were still raised at the time of the collision.
Network Rail has said it is fully cooperating with the inquiry. Chris Wright, the company's North West route director, expressed deep sorrow for the incident and its devastating impact on the family of Kerry Coombs.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| A level crossing collision in Lancashire on 26 June at 8:50 am involved a train that passed a green signal, but the crossing's barriers and alarms had not activated. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC ONE West focused on the specific findings of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch report, detailing the failure of the crossing's safety systems. The report also highlighted the human cost by naming the victim and the condition of her daughter, and included a direct apology from Network Rail's regional director.
- “the train passed a green signal on its approach here and that the preliminary evidence suggested that the crossing's traffic light and warning alarm had not activated and that barriers were still raised at the time of the collision.”
- “they are deeply sorry that this happened on railway infrastructure and for the devastating impact it's had on Kerry Coombs' family.”
Broadcast Timeline
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