Posted 5th December 2012 | 3 Comments
4-year old girl dies after level crossing collision
THE FOUR-YEAR old girl who was involved in a level crossing collision in Nottinghamshire has died from her injuries. The incident happened around midday yesterday on the line between Gainsborough and Doncaster, and has prompted renewed calls for level crossings to be abolished.
The little girl, named as Emma Lifsey, was the passenger in a car being driven by a 67-year old woman, believed to be her grandmother, who received neck injuries. No one was hurt on the train involved – which was a local service from Lincoln to Doncaster.
Emma was airlifted to hospital in Sheffield, but died early this morning.
The crossing at Beech Hill near Finningley is an automatic half barrier installation, and British Transport Police are now leading an investigation into the circumstances, accompanied by officials from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch. They have also appealed for witnesses.
A spokesman for BTP said: "Officers are working hard to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident, including how the vehicle came to be on the tracks.
"This will include speaking to any witnesses, while specialist officers will also look at evidence from the scene and the car in question, a black Volvo, which has now been recovered."
Bassetlaw MP John Mann and the RMT are among those calling for all level crossings to be abolished, but there are still more than 6,000 of all types on the British network, although Network Rail has closed 600 since 2009.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that his union "will await the outcome of investigations and our thoughts are with all of those involved. RMT’s campaign to speed up the phasing out of level crossings will continue and the investment required to deliver that objective must be made available by the Government.”
Network Rail has recently launched a new campaign appealing for level crossing users to take care and obey the rules, with the slogan 'See track, think train', and has also announced that more mobile cameras are to be deployed at level crossings, this time on the Great Western route, in a bid to reduce the number of motorists who attempt to cross against the warning lights.
Reader Comments:
Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.
MikeB, Liverpool
At crossings controlled by half barriers, incidents may be caused by some impatient motorists dodging around the barrier and trying to beat the train. Perhaps one answer would be to install a "rising kerb" or "road blocker" in the other lane adjacent to the barrier, which would stop cars in their tracks, forcing them to wait for the barrier to lift. Any vehicle caught on the crossing could still leave safely across the installation on the other side.
Tony Pearce, Reading UK
Many years ago I stalled my car on the Ufton Nervet crossing (Berkshire) where the serious rail accident later happened. ITV contacted me (following a newspaper article I wrote on the crossing) and we made a film about my incident re-running what had happened. It was shown on ITN 6 o'clock news the day the Ufton Nervert accident report was issued. During the filming we were struck at how motorists behaved at the Crossing. Virtually all slowed down to about 5 mph and, before they crossed, looked both ways up and down the tracks to make sure nothing was coming. It was if they didn't trust the barriers or the warning signals. Whilst they were doing this, sometimes the warning bells and lights started. This seemed to panic the Motorists who occassionally stalled before quickly restarting. The surfaces of the crossing and the approach roads either side was not smooth, and this also seemed to affect driving. Raitrack said at the time that it was the local Councils responsibilty to maintain the roads around the crossing but this didn't seem to have been done. I have noticed that many Level Crossings give a 'bumpy' ride to Motorists. This is something that should be investigated. Unfortunately the Ufton Nervet crossing, after several unexplained accidents, has now got a local reputation as a place where suicides happen. I do not know what happened (or wish to imply anything) at this particular crossing in Nottinghamshire but it is very sad news indeed.
jak jaye, sutton coldfield
Im sad for the people involved but its down to drivers to realise flashing lights and warning bells mean a trains coming! its a tough call and isnt only confined to the UK check out the US ones on YouTube.
I wonder how many incidents like this one have happened since cell phones were invented? all to save just a few minutes on a journey.