The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has completed a preliminary examination into a collision between a delivery van and a train that occurred at Home Farm user-worked level crossing, near Alsager in Cheshire.

The collision occurred at around 13:00 hrs on Saturday 11 February 2023, when the van was driven onto the level crossing area when a train was approaching.

RAIB’s preliminary examination found that while the van driver was able to stop the van before the train reached the crossing, the front of the van was close enough to the rails to be struck by the train.

The train driver saw the van about three to four seconds before reaching the crossing and applied the brakes and sounded the warning horn. However, the train was still travelling at about 30 mph (48 km/h) when it collided with the van. Neither the van driver nor anybody on the train was injured, but the collision caused serious damage to the van and some damage to the train.

The correct method of operation at Home Farm user-worked level crossing requires drivers of all vehicles to contact the signaller and get permission to cross the railway. This is because vehicle drivers cannot see far enough along the railway line to be able to tell whether it is safe to cross. Records show there was no call made to the signaller to ask for permission to cross at Home Farm on this occasion, despite the operating requirement being displayed on signs at the crossing.

RAIB has reviewed the findings of the preliminary examination and has chosen not to conduct a full investigation into this incident. However, it has expressed concern that this incident is very similar to one which occurred at Frognal Farm level crossing in October 2017 (RAIB report 12/2018), which also involved a delivery vehicle.

RAIB has written to the delivery company and asked it to brief its drivers about the correct use of this type of level crossing and to raise this issue at any cross-industry forums of which it is a member. It has sent copies of this letter to Network Rail, the Office of Rail and Road, the Department for Transport, and the Health and Safety Executive.

RAIB has previously recommended that the Department for Transport introduce new signs for user-worked level crossings such as Home Farm, and has been advised that the DfT is now proposing to do this.