Fog recommendations issued after Tibberton crossing death

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has recommended that Network Rail evaluates and analyses the risk of fog affecting the safe use of passive level crossings, following the death of a pedestrian on Tibberton No. 8 footpath crossing (Worcestershire) on February 6 2019.

The pedestrian was hit by Cross Country’s 0809 Nottingham-Cardiff Central, formed of 170102, at around 0958 during foggy conditions. The pedestrian was unaware of the approaching train, which because of the fog was not visible until it was three to four seconds away from the crossing.

RAIB says the evaluation should lead to a strategy to mitigate the effects of fog at passive level crossings. This should include: guidance for level crossing managers on how to identify crossings where fog is a reasonably foreseeable risk; provision of a range of possible mitigation measures to make crossings safe in fog; and a methodology for prioritising level crossings on the basis of the risk arising from fog. It also wants the strategy to include a timebound plan for the implementation of the appropriate mitigation measures at prioritised crossings.

The investigation also found that NR was not actively managing the risk associated with fog at passive crossings, and that the crossing surface itself did not comply with the requirements of the standard applicable at the time.

Furthermore, RAIB says the traverse time calculated in the narrative risk assessment for the crossing did not follow the guidance provided by NR and the Office of Rail and Road.