Network Rail has released a “shocking” video captured by CCTV cameras showing the moment a moped carrying a rider and passenger narrowly missed being struck by a train travelling at up to 70mph.
The rider had swerved round the barrier at Toddington level crossing near Littlehampton in West Sussex.
Toddington is an Automatic Half-Barrier level crossing, which operates automatically, with lights flashing, sirens sounding and barriers descending 27 seconds before the train is due across the road. The barriers extend halfway across the road so that people are not trapped behind them if they are inside the barriers on the crossing.
The rider had ridden the moped through red lights, and caused delays to Southern’s services from 15:09 on 21 February, the time of the incident.
The driver of the train – the 14:30 service from Brighton to Southampton – made an emergency stop. He then took some time to compose himself before carrying on with the journey. The incident took place on a stretch of 70mph railway between Angmering and Ford/Littlehampton.
The British Transport Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact them by texting 61016 quoting log 411 of 21/02/23.
Lucy McAuliffe, Network Rail’s route director for Sussex, said: “We came very close to having two deaths on our railway last week and a train driver living with the memories of that. We try to make our network as safe as possible but we do need people to work with us by paying attention to red lights and barriers.
“We need to track these people down and make sure they know the consequences of their actions.”
Inspector Emma Boulton, of the British Transport Police, said: “Put simply – this is some of the most stupidly reckless behaviour on a level crossing I have seen in my entire career. These riders blatantly ignored the red light in front of them and were just split seconds away from a truly catastrophic collision, which I have no doubt would have had fatal consequences. This footage should serve as a very explicit reminder to everyone of the dangers of misusing level crossings.”
Samantha Facey, Southern’s Health, Safety and Security Director, said: “This video beggars belief. Today we could be talking about a double death with all the misery and heartache that would cause the bikers’ families and friends.
“And think of our driver: no-one should have to be put through this trauma and none of our passengers should find themselves put at risk in this way.
“Sadly, we’ve also seen a rise in young people trespassing on the railway – it’s an incredibly dangerous place so please, please, please keep off the tracks.”
Responses
Chavs on mopeds. That’s all they are. Clueless on what’s around them and not knowing the dangers. Only for a accident to of happened.
Bring back the Gates, safer option. Would prevent these reckless action.
and the winner of the Almost Darwin Award goes to….
It’s a wonder nobody has been killed. Why are young people so daft?
Things like this would never happen in the days of the Crossing Keeper.
There is a very strong case that 1/2 barriers should be fazed out and replaced with full barriers, as this would have stopped the moped from doing what it did.
The nearside barriers come down first then shortly after the offside barriers come down allowing any think inside the crossing area to escape, there should be nothing inside the crossing area as they would (hopefully) have seen the warning lights.
The full barrier design is far safer and should be installed wherever there are 1/2 barriers, the cost of this is far cheaper than someone’s life or the cost of repairing/replacing a train.