RAIB Urges Overhaul of Manual Level Crossings After Kent Van Driver’s Death
Rail accident investigators say an Amazon delivery driver, Brandon Hatcher, 23, died at the Bax crossing near Teynham, Kent, after apparently not realizing he had to open an exit gate. They warn of an "obvious risk of further tragedy" and want manual crossings redesigned.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has called for an overhaul of manually operated level crossings after an Amazon delivery driver's rail crossing death in Kent. Brandon Hatcher, 23, of Ashford, was killed in July last year at the Bax crossing near Teynham.
Investigators found he drove his van onto the tracks apparently without realizing he had to open the exit gate first. A passenger train from Ramsgate to London hit the van.
Safety inspectors said there was "an obvious risk of further tragedy". A second similar fatal event is still being investigated.
What happened at the crossing
Signs at the crossing told road users to check for a green light before opening both gates, and again before closing both gates. The RAIB found the traffic light system "almost certainly led [the driver] to believe that it was safe to enter the crossing once the entry gate had been opened, despite the exit gate still being closed".
Hatcher drove across most of the track and parked. Then the lights turned red and alarms sounded for an approaching train.
He opened the exit gate, but not far enough to pass at the first attempt. He tried again and was walking back to the door of his van when the Southeastern train came into view 300 metres away, traveling at 90mph.
The train driver applied the emergency brake but could not avoid the collision. Three passengers reported minor injuries.
Training and signage criticized
The signage had been redesigned in recent years. The RAIB said the redesign "did not sufficiently consider how diverse information sources may influence crossing user behaviour".
Hatcher was self-employed but working for a logistics company, GG Logistix, delivering Amazon parcels. The RAIB said the training and guidance he received "had not prepared him to use the crossing safely".
It called on Network Rail and the Department for Transport (DfT) to review the design, laws and guidance for this type of crossing.
Second death in Lancashire
Another delivery driver, Simon Gettings, 55, was killed in August when a Northern train hit him at a manual crossing in Lancashire. The circumstances remain under investigation.
Andrew Hall, the RAIB's chief inspector of rail accidents, said both accidents could also have had serious consequences for people on board, because a train can be derailed by striking a delivery van.
"Private user worked crossings are a 19th-century concept operating in a 21st century world of more dense, faster rail services, more rural housing and abundant home deliveries," Hall said. "Most road users are unfamiliar with this type of crossing and with how to use them safely."
Industry response
The rail regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), said it would "ensure lessons are learned and improvements made to protect crossing users, passengers and railway staff".
David Davidson, chief operating officer of South Eastern Railway, said the company's thoughts remained with Hatcher's family and loved ones. He said the operator would study the recommendations closely.
Davidson said the company had already changed the layout of the site and published a toolkit with guidance on this type of crossing for professional road drivers.
