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news
Cyclist on level crossing near Canterbury (via Network Rail).PNGVideo: Level crossing cyclist almost hit by 80mph train in Kent
Network Rail have warned cyclists and other people using level crossings to get across railway lines to use them properly after a bike rider was almost hit by a high speed train near Canterbury this morning.
The rail network owner and infrastructure manager has issued footage of the incident, which happened at the Dog Kennel foot crossing on Ashford Road in Chartham at around 7.50am, shot from the train’s cab.
The Southeastern service from Margate to St Pancras was travelling at around 80mph as it approached the crossing.
After the driver spotted the cyclist riding across, the driver sounded the train’s horn and applied the emergency brake, the train coming to a halt beyond the crossing.
Fiona Taylor, Network Rail's Route Director for Kent, said: "This shocking incident near Canterbury is part of a small but concerning rise in such incidents in recent months and the impact had the train hit this cyclist could have been devastating to all involved.
“We all want to enjoy the outdoors but I'd ask people to be vigilant when they are anywhere near the railway and always to Stop, Look and Listen before they cross."
Jim Maxwell, Head of Drivers for Southeastern, commented: “Our drivers don’t deserve the extra stress that these types of incidents cause.
“Reckless trespass incidents can have a profound effect on our drivers’ mental health, and are further compounded if the driver has been unfortunate enough to have been previously involved in a fatality, with the potential to cause flashbacks.
“It often means that the drivers have to take time off whilst they recover, and are supported through their ordeal.
“I fully support our colleagues at Network Rail and the British Transport Police in trying to identify and pursue the culprits.”
According to Network Rail, there were two similar incidents in Kent in August, both involving walkers near Sevenoaks. Across the country, there were 323 non-vehicle near misses last year and two fatalities.
In recent years, Network Rail has been adding safety features such as warning lights or train horn noises to increasing numbers of level crossings, but it says that many still need people to “Stop, Look and Listen” to ensure a train is not approaching.
In 2014, a coroner’s inquest heard that 42 year old Adrian Smith was killed at the Cattishall level crossing in Great Barton, Suffolk, when he was hit by a train travelling at 60mph.
> Cyclist killed by train on level crossing had headphones and was looking wrong way, inquest told
Coroner Dr Peter Green said: “The driver sounded the horn while approaching the crossing before noticing a white male was moving his bike across the crossing.
“He realised that the male was wearing black headphones, he continued to sound the horn but he continued to look in the direction away from the crossing.
“The driver said he was not in a hurry, he was ambling across, he felt totally helpless because there was nothing he could do.”
British Transport Police regularly publishes videos showing people, including cyclists, misusing level crossings, which besides the risk of serious injury or even death can lead to prosecution.
In 2018, George Caraska was fined £130 after pleading guilty to one count of disobeying a safety notice or sign and one of obstructing an engine using the railway by an unlawful act after he was filmed forcing his way with his bike through a level crossing in south west London.
> Cyclist/moron fined for forcing his way through level crossing and nearly being hit by train
The footage was shared widely online, including by the broadcaster Jeremy Vine, with Caraska telling one bystander at North Sheen station who urged him not to try and cross the railway line, “I don’t fucking care, mate.”
Speaking after Caraska was sentenced, Assistant Chief Constable Robin Smith of British Transport Police said: “This has to rank as one of the most stupid, arrogant and dangerous things I’ve seen in my entire police service.
“Fortunately, Caraska was caught on camera and widely shared on social media by members of the public who were as horrified by his actions as we were.”
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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26 comments
WHY such concern, in this near miss on someone with a push bike, when COPS often willfully refuse to take action against dangerous drivers despite intentionally driven terrifyingly close and risking lifes of vulnerable victims, and causing untold harm of putting off many from cycling or forcing them off the roads onto the safety of pavements?
This police neglect goes on despite compelling evidence from victims or witnesses etc.
In this near miss report, would cops now consider, as they often have, the individual as a 'WITNESS' or a victim?
COPS often willfully refuse to take action against dangerous drivers despite intentionally driven terrifyingly close and risking lifes of vulnerable victims
It's really "almost always refuse to take action"- I have bored people with this several times, but as far as it is possible to tell from persistent FoI requests, Lancashire Constabulary has never yet prosecuted anybody for close passing a cyclist. For LC, the offence does not exist without a lot of blood on the road. I have completed all the preparations for one such prosecution, statements etc., over an offence committed at Wyre Bridge, Garstang on 30.9.19. There is still no date for the hearing, although I have been assured in writing by LC Central Process Unit that the prosecution is to go ahead.
Has anyone been personally involved in an actual prosecution for a 'no blood' close-passing incident?
Cycling Gaz, Mikey, the bloke on that awful Ch5 'documentary'.
Another issue with this is that Network Rail have a very proactive programme of closing level crossings, particularly where they see risky behaviour of this nature.
Sometimes Network Rail will replace it with a footbridge, or a detour, often the right of way will simply be extinguished - much less convenient for future travellers on that route.
This happened to a level crossing near us where tourists were sitting on the railway line taking selfies. It made us locals who actually used the level crossing a bit annoyed.
An old mate of mine used to work for British Rail as it used to be called. He started out as a diesel fitter but then worked on electric trains too. One of the worst aspects of his job was having to go and check over locomotives to see if they were still safe to operate after they'd been involved in collisions with vehicles, animals or people. He described in some detail having to crawl underneath a locomotive after it'd hit a person and finding bits of that person stuck to various components.
Now think about the drivers of those trains. A mate of mine is a train driver and several of his colleagues have had to have counselling after fatal collisions that were not their fault. Some have had to give up working.
Be careful when you cross rail tracks. Trains are big and heavy and may be moving fast, so cannot stop quickly.
Surely in this day and age there could be some flashing lights on the pedestrian crossing to warn users of an approaching train, even if a barrier is too much to ask...
Sounding the horn is no use, if the pedestrian is hearing impaired.
TBH, if a massive train with lights on 10 meters away wasn't going to stop them walking across, flashing lights on the gate wasn't either.
They do use exactly that in places, we have them near us. But I guess it comes down to money and accident statistics as they get introduced. More pandering and retirement of the senses as with so much stuff in modern life.
Some of the wording in the article isn't helpful..."trespass incidents", "culprits", etc. It's not like the person crossing was trespassing or breaking the law!
That said, it takes a special kind of idiot to walk across the railway when there is a train in hearing or sight. Darwin's Law in action!
They are doing both - contravening road traffic law, and entering railway property without permission.
It's an official but uncontrolled foot crossing point, so road traffic laws are not applicable and it's a perfectly legal crossing point.
That they're using it badly and in a way that is likely to get them killed does not make them a law breaker, just an idiot.
The comments were in reference to level crossing incidents generally, though, not just this specific one. Also, even with a foot crossing, permission to enter the tracks would still be contingent on first checking for approaching trains, so trespass would still apply.
Good job he was wearing hi viz !
Your point being?
Trains are big heavy and are travelling fast, they can't stop instantly.
Cheers, Brightspark, you have cheered me up proper you have.
They do need to put in more lights to indicate approaching trains, I think.
I start my off roadish part of my rail/cycle commute at Farnborough North station, lights and magnetic lock on those ped/cycle gates, and a bloke in shed to allow car driving fishermen over that little line. And to shout at (mainly students) gate jumpers. I go towards Frimley Green through the lakes and to the hatches, where there is a gate over a much faster line. There used to be nothing, now there is a little speaker thing to give some more warning.
I feel for train drivers, and the risks some take in front of vehicles they cannot steer and which being metal wheels on metal tracks, lack traction for good braking.
Wet rails and leaves at the moment, sliding stops and spinning wheels on acceleration, I'm always impressed at their skills.
And responsibilities.
I am glad to have brought you cheer. I had penned something more succint, but I thought it better to get to the point.
I know that crossing.
As for more warnings, well as Matlockmark says, a lot of work has been done to upgrade, divert traffic or close level crossings in the UK. There are about 6000 LC's in the UK and it will take time to evaluate and fix them all.
Meanwhile we must hope that the idiot in the film gets to see himself and realise how close he was to becoming a statistic.
Not everyone makes it across. There are videos on Youtube showing near-misses and collisions and also the RAIB website gives detailed reports of such events.
But looking at these videos it seems that you can have really loud horns and very bright flashing lights and fuckwombles still ignore them.
And BBC caught red handed.
You seem somewhat unfamiliar with the criticisms levelled at cyclists.
I am fully aware of the criticisms levelled at cyclists. I am just not sure what your point is.
Is it,
A, Good job he was wearing Hi-viz as it gave more of the 4 seconds, between him appearing to the train arriving at the crossing, to see him and react. [pro hi-viz]
B. Good job he was wearing Hi-viz as he was hidden behind the fence where no-one could see it until just 4 seconds before the train got to the potential impact point. [sarcastic]
C. Good job he was wearing Hi-viz and a helmet, which gives cyclists extra visability [you missed that one] and was walking across the level crossing in accordance with HC rules 59 & 82 as this gave him a false sense of safety. [more considered...and he ignored rule 69]
No, but they can slow, as did this one, allowing more time to avoid a tragedy.
The train wasn't....
"Almost hit"? Baloney.
Near miss or not do you think he should have been crossing?
Stupid comment. You do realise the video was slowed down A LOT!
While compared to the road that comes some way from being described as a close call, crossing a railway line with that little time before a train passes is stupid.
If the rider were to have an issue and/or fall in the trains path, they would have no time to get up/jump out the way.
Trains are faster than you realise, you just don't hear them coming. Almost hit, means that the driver had to apply the brakes to reduce collision speed, then stop and check to make sure that the idiot wasn't under the train.
As said above, the stress can become overwelming if it is a second fatality that the driver has had to deal with. It isn't just the drivers who have to suffer the stress of collision. Think of the maintainance staff and those who have to repair the damage.
It is the little bits of body parts that you find that turn your stomach. Wedged right into the train parts. Hair, skin, teeth...
Once the emergency brake is engaged there is little else the driver can do - the train will stop when it stops
This is described in the latter half of the article - The driver would have had a clear view of the impending tragedy unfolding for a significant amount of time prior to impact. That would not be something that I would wish to experience, or wish on someone else.
In the case in hand, I highly doubt the rider had any malicious intent, however, this is one of those situations where careless action from one individual has at best given another (blameless) individual a horrible fright, but also has the potential for exacerbating existing mental injury, or even physical injury for passengers - it was after all an emergency stop, not a gentle deceleration.
In this case the crossing seems to be on a curve, the cyclists view of the track hence is obscured, particularly of an oncoming 80mph train. A prime case where a red green light next to the gate would be a very sensible addition, as it perhaps should be on all such crossings.