Two road-rail vehicles (RRVs) collided before 07:00 on 2nd May 2021 while travelling on the same track towards Wickford Station and now, a full report on the incident has been released.

A mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) was stationary during the collision and was hit from behind by a road-rail machine, which was configured by as a crane going 7.5mph.

As a result of the collision, the operator of the stationary vehicle suffered life changing injuries.

Just before the collision the MEWP operator had stopped to stow away a loose tool in the personnel basket. Around the same time, the crane operator was affected by the rising sun and turned to look out of the side window to relieve his eyes. However, when he was looking out of his side window, he did not apply the breaks which resulted in the collision.

Network Rail standards require operators to maintain a minimum distance of 100 metres when travelling in a convoy.

The crane operator had allowed that distance to reduce to 30 metres when the MEWP stopped. Due to the shortened separation, the crane operation had significantly less time to react to the stopped vehicle.

It is believed that fatigue was a possible factor of the accident as the crane operator had not taken advantage of resting at a hotel before the beginning of the night shift. The travel time in his journey details was not declared at the site access control point.

Another factor may have been the absence of clarity in the role of machine controllers, meaning that there may have been further lack of warning of the collision.

A previous incident in 2019 at Wellingborough found that those involved had regularly ignored the minimum distance required between vehicles. Action was taken to alter behaviour however site inspection procedures werent revised which may have also been a factor to the collision.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has made three recommendations, with the first two addressed to Network Rail and the third to SPL Powerlines UK and Readypower Rail Services:

The of a machine controller when they are travelling with their vehicle

The need to continue the development of obstacle detection for road-rail vehicles

The need to applicate learning from previous accidents and incidents.

Andrew Hall, Chief Inspector of Rail Accidents said: “Sadly, this readily-avoided accident led to a member of railway staff sustaining life changing injuries.

Bright sunlight can temporarily dazzle or obscure vision. It is important that those driving vehicles by line of sight, slow sufficiently or stop if visibility becomes poor. Even momentary dazzling can lead to an unsafe situation rapidly developing.

When operating rail-road machines on the railway it is essential to maintain the defined safe distance of 100 metres with other moving vehicles. This accident involved differential speeds dangerously reducing the distance between the vehicles from 90 metres to approximately 30 metres during the journey. Recognising the true distances involved, as well as the potential consequence of road-rail vehicles travelling in convoy at different speeds, is vital to maintaining safe distances between vehicles.

What is particularly frustrating about this accident, is that lessons from a previous accident involving the same contractor had not been learned. Both accidents shared similar factors including a lack of adequate separation between vehicles, a loss of attention and avoiding action not being taken. Not applying these lessons to improve planning of work or the site assurance processes was an opportunity missed to avoid a collision with severe consequences.”