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A woman has died after her car and another vehicle were hit by a train on a level crossing in Herefordshire.

The 50-year-old, who lived locally, died in hospital after being airlifted from the scene of the crash which happened at about 1030 GMT.

Her husband was also injured, as were a mother and daughter in a second car.

A spokesman for British Transport Police said it was investigating the cause of the collision which happened near the village of Moreton-on-Lugg.

The woman's husband suffered pelvic and shoulder injuries and is being treated at Hereford County Hospital.

The mother and daughter suffered minor injuries, West Midlands Ambulance Service said.

The driver of the 0830 GMT Arriva Trains Wales train from Manchester Piccadilly to Milford Haven was checked by paramedics at the scene while a number of passengers were treated for shock.

It is not yet known how the cars came to be on the track. The level crossing has barriers and lights and there is a signal box nearby.

The investigation involves British Transport Police, West Mercia Police and Network Rail while the Rail Accidents Investigating Branch has been informed.

The train line has remained closed and will remain out of service while investigations take place and the vehicles are removed, police said.

Ch Insp Kevin Marshall, of the British Transport Police, said: "The railway is a very dangerous place. But on this occasion I'm keeping a really open mind about what happened."

From the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/8463701.stm):

The photo on the BBC website seems to show that the barriers are full length ones i.e cover the whole road. Also there is a signal box right on the crossing.  So maybe on this occasion it is not the car driver(s) who are at fault.

The safety barriers were up at a level crossing in Herefordshire where a woman was killed by a passing train, British Transport Police have said.

Jane Harding, 52, was a passenger in one of two cars on the crossing when a train crashed into it in Moreton-on-Lugg, Herefordshire, on Saturday.

Her husband was driving and suffered serious pelvis and shoulder injuries.

A mother and daughter in the second car had minor injuries. It is not yet known how the cars came to be on the tracks.

Police said the crossing had been checked and was operating normally now, although drivers were urged to take care due to flooding on nearby roads.

The line between Hereford and Shrewsbury had been closed over the weekend while investigations were carried out but re-opened on Monday.

The crash took place on Saturday morning and involved the 0830 GMT Arriva Trains Wales train from Manchester Piccadilly to Milford Haven.

A number of passengers, a signalman and the train's driver were checked by paramedics for shock.

British Transport Police, West Mercia Police and Network Rail are investigating the cause of the crash, and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch has been informed.

Ch Insp Kevin Marshall, of the British Transport Police, said: "The railway is a very dangerous place. But on this occasion I'm keeping a really open mind about what happened."

Police said the crossing had been checked and was operating normally now ...

Two trains?

Signalman suspended in Herefordshire crash inquiry

A signalman has been suspended by Network Rail as part of its inquiry into a fatal crash on a level crossing in Herefordshire.
Jane Harding, 52, a hairdresser from Marden, was a passenger in one of two cars on the crossing when a train crashed into it on Saturday.
Safety barriers were up at the crossing at Moreton-on-Lugg, British Transport Police have said.
Network Rail said the suspension was a matter of routine in such cases.

Network Rail said the suspension was a matter of routine in such cases.

Investigation into a fatal accident on a level crossing at Moreton-on-Lugg, Herefordshire, 16 January 2010

The RAIB is carrying out an investigation into a fatal accident that occurred at Moreton-on-Lugg level crossing, Herefordshire, on the railway between Shrewsbury and Hereford, on 16 January 2010.

The accident occurred at about 10:30 hrs, when the 08:30 hrs Manchester Piccadilly to Milford Haven train collided with two cars on Moreton-on-Lugg level crossing. This crossing has full-width lifting barriers controlled from the adjacent signal box. One of the two people in one of the cars was killed and the other was seriously injured, and the two people in the other car suffered minor injuries. There were no casualties on the train, which suffered some damage.

The RAIB^s preliminary examination indicates that the level crossing barriers were raised as the train was approaching the crossing. There is no evidence that the actions of the motorists or the driving of the train contributed to the accident.

The RAIB^s investigation is independent of any investigations by the British Transport Police, or by the safety authority.

The RAIB will publish a report, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of its investigation. This report will be available on the RAIB website.

Network Rail apology over Moreton level crossing death

The family of a woman killed on a level crossing have received a "full and complete apology" from Network Rail.

Jane Harding, 52, died at the Herefordshire crossing when a train crashed into her vehicle on Saturday.

Safety barriers were up at the crossing at Moreton-on-Lugg, British Transport Police said.

"We consider that the accident is most likely to have been due in some way to Network Rail," a Network Rail spokeswoman said. "Network Rail has extended a full and complete apology to the family. We would also like to extend this apology to everyone who has been so deeply affected by the accident and to the community of Moreton-on-Lugg."

A signalman has been suspended by Network Rail as part of its inquiry into the crash, although the company said this was routine.

From the RAIB website (http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/current_investigations_register/100116_moreton_on_lugg.cfm):

"This disastrous head-on collision was caused by the Scarborough train, after acceptance had been given and the proper signals lowered for it to proceed on C outgoing road past West Parade Junction signal-box, being diverted on to B facing ingoing road, upon which the Withernsea train was approaching the terminal station. I can recollect no case of an accident having occurred in similar circumstances."

Residents fear more tragedies on crossing

Residents fear that another accident is imminent on a level crossing where a 52-year-old woman died last weekend.

Jane Harding was killed when the black Volkswagen Touareg she was travelling in was in collision with a train at Moreton-on-Lugg, near Hereford, on Saturday morning.

Many drivers are now too scared to pass over the railway tracks, believing the level crossing is unsafe.

Mrs Harding^s husband Mark, who was driving the Volkswagen, has told friends the barriers were down for five minutes, blocking the road across the line. But when they lifted, without a train passing, he crossed the railway into the path of the Manchester to Milford Haven train.

Mr Harding sustained serious shoulder and pelvic injuries and was taken to Hereford County Hospital. He has since been released and is recovering at home.

A gold Vauxhall Astra was also hit, injuring a woman and her 12-year-old daughter.

Those working near the level crossing have backed up Mr Harding^s claim, saying he would only have gone on to the tracks when the barrier was raised.

Mike Greene, managing director of ABC Print in Moreton-on-Lugg, said: ^It is very shocking and no one can see how it happened. When the barriers go up, you automatically think that it is OK to go. Two cars crossed the line from different sides of the track at the same time, so obviously something went wrong. Until I have answers I am not going to use the crossing.^

Employee Phil Watts said: ^I have no intention of using it for the time being, as the accident is something that you will never forget.^

The manned crossing, which underwent maintenance work in the autumn, was re-opened at 3.30am on Monday after safety checks took place.

But Moreton-on-Lugg resident Roger Newton claims that one of the barriers was not working properly at 9am on Monday. ^I was walking towards the crossing when I noticed that the barriers were malfunctioning,^
he said. ^A Network Rail employee even had to walk across the track and physically push it up and down. Even a member of the public had to help out.^

Mr Newton added that traffic had to stop while the problem was sorted and was only allowed to go across the line when the barriers were working again.

^The signalman went back into his box and started pressing the buttons and everything went back to normal,^ said Mr Newton. ^I am staggered that the barriers were not working again just five-and-a-half hours after it was reopened and just two days after a fatal accident.^

Rachel Blackman, spokesman for Network Rail, said the crossing would only have been re-opened after an independent regulator had checked it and deemed it safe.

She added that she was unaware of any problems with the barriers after they had re-opened.

Brian Price, spokesman for British Transport Police (BTP), said that it was unclear how long their investigation would last. He said: ^The investigation has the full co-operation of Network Rail, train company Arriva Trains Wales and other industry partners, and BTP officers are following a number of lines of enquiry to establish the sequence of events which led to the crash.^

The wording says that the barriers were raised as the train approached the crossing.  Which would suggest that they were lowered and then raised up too soon.  The barriers can only be raised after the signals have been replaced to danger. 

However, it is possible that the design of the system and the actions of the signaller were influenced by a desire to get the barriers raises as soon as possible after the passage of the train so that the road reopened.

If indeed the signaller raised the barriers prematurely, it's difficult to understand why that might have occurred since he was overlooking the crossing and presumably knew where the train was. 
.

Woman killed on Herefordshire level crossing mourned

The funeral of a woman killed on a level crossing in Herefordshire has taken place.
Car passenger Jane Harding, a 52-year-old hairdresser from Marden, died when a train crashed into her vehicle at Moreton-on-Lugg on 16 January.
Barriers were up at the crossing, British Transport Police has said. Network Rail has apologised to Ms Harding's family.
The funeral took place at Hereford Cathedral during the afternoon.

No mirrors at fatal Herefordshire rail crossing

Network Rail has turned down a council request to install safety mirrors at a level crossing in Herefordshire where a woman died in a collision with a train.
Jane Harding, 52, was a passenger in a car that was hit by a train at Moreton-on-Lugg level crossing on 16 January.
The crash, which happened when barriers were up, is being investigated.
Moreton-on-Lugg Parish Council said it was told safety mirrors were "not necessary". Network Rail said the crossing was safe.
A spokesman said the company would not comment further until official crash investigations had been published by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, British Transport Police and the Office of Rail Regulation.
Moreton-on-Lugg Parish Council chairman Allan Collett said: "We've asked Network Rail to install mirrors thinking they might want to do that to keep people happy so to speak, but they have refused to do that, saying that it's not necessary."
Previously Network Rail apologised to Mrs Harding's family and anyone else who had been affected by the crash.
A spokesman for Network Rail said in January: "We consider that the accident is most likely to have been due in some way to Network Rail."

Arrest after level crossing death in Herefordshire

A man has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following a fatal crash on a level crossing in Herefordshire six months ago.

Jane Harding, 52, died after being hit by a train at Moreton-on-Lugg. The barriers at the level crossing were up when her car crossed the track.

A signalman was later suspended by Network Rail, as standard procedure.

British Transport Police (BTP) has confirmed a 40-year-old man has been arrested.

He has since been released on bail while investigations continue.

Summary

On 16 January 2010, a collision occurred between a passenger train and two cars at the level crossing at Moreton-on-Lugg, near Hereford.  The front-seat passenger in one of the cars was fatally injured.  The driver was seriously injured and detained in hospital.
 
The two occupants of the other car attended hospital as a precaution.  There were no casualties on the train, which did not derail.

The level crossing is controlled from the adjacent signal box.  The cause of the accident was that the signaller raised the barriers in error when the train was approaching and too close to be able to stop before reaching the level crossing.  He had just been involved in an absorbing telephone call that had interrupted his normal task of monitoring the passage of the train.  As a result he believed that the train had already passed over the crossing. 

There was no safeguard in the signalling system to prevent this from happening.  There was no plan to fit such a safeguard, and no industry requirement to formally consider the safety benefits of one.

The RAIB has made four recommendations to Network Rail.  They include assessing the need for additional engineered safety measures at level crossings like Moreton-on-Lugg and targeted improvements to its processes for managing risk at level crossings, and for determining when it should bring signalling assets into line with latest safety standards.

The other really scary thing about the lack of interlocking between barriers and signals is that Moreton on Lugg  is not the only crossing to lack this provision.

See Alan Williams in Modern Railways.

Hairdresser died at level crossing after signalman wrongly lifted the barrier when he became distracted by phone call

• Jane Harding, 52, was killed when train smashed into her car
• Her husband, who was driving, escaped the crash unharmed
• Signalman Adrian Maund had been taking a call from a farmer
• Court told a ^40,000 safety device might have prevented the tragedy

By Andy Dolan
 
PUBLISHED:14:34, 7 February 2013| UPDATED:10:18, 8 February 2013
 
A mother died when her car was hit by a train on a level crossing because a signalman mistakenly raised the barriers after becoming distracted by a phone call, a court heard.
 
The car that hairdresser Jane Harding, 52, was in was struck by a passenger train at 61mph and dragged 150 yards down the track.
 
A jury was told that moments before the crash, signalman Adrian Maund ^panicked^ when a local farmer called for a second time seeking clearance to guide his sheep over another crossing further up the track.

While he was distracted, Maund lifted the barriers, believing the Manchester to Milford Haven train had already passed the crossing, the court heard.
 
Maund, 43, only realised his fatal  mistake when he saw it approaching at 80mph around a corner ^  and frantically tried to lower the barriers and change the signal at the Moreton-on-Lugg, Herefordshire, crossing.

Mrs Harding^s husband, Mark, who was driving their Volkswagen Touareg, survived the incident with shoulder and pelvic injuries.
 
Birmingham Crown Court heard that although human error was a factor in the crash, the tragedy could have been prevented if Network Rail had not declined to spend ^40,000 on a simple safety device which could stop signals being changed when a train was approaching.
 
He was distracted by a call from a farmer asking if he could herd sheep across the tracks at Moreton-on-Lugg
 
The company, which owns and operates rail infrastructure, allegedly refused to install the approach-locking system during improvement works a year earlier because of cost concerns.
 
This decision made the firm equally culpable, according to Philip Mott QC, prosecuting. Mr Mott added: ^Network Rail took the decision not to install this device because it would cost ^40,000 ^ that device could have saved a life.
 
^An approach-locking system has been around since the 1960s and can be used to stop signals being changed when trains are still coming through. In 2009 there was quite a lot of work done at the Moreton crossing and the barriers were replaced. There were discussions to have an approach-locking device which were rejected. Why not put in this device? The reason was money. Was the cost too great to avoid the cost of a human life?^
 
In a police interview in January 2010, Maund said he lifted the barriers because he thought the train had already passed as cars were waiting at the crossing. But train driver Andrew Robins had too little time to slow down and struck the Hardings^ VW and a second vehicle, a Vauxhall Astra.
 
Mother-of-one Mrs Harding, from Marden, Herefordshire, died after being taken to hospital. Carol-Anne Thornewell and her 12-year-old daughter, who were in the Astra, walked away from the crash.
 
Maund, from Leominster, Herefordshire, has pleaded not guilty to failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of railway and railway crossing users.
 
The maximum penalty he could face is two years in prison, and/or an unlimited fine.
 
Network Rail has also denied a separate charge of failing in its duty of care of the health and safety of railway and railway crossing users. It faces a maximum penalty of a ^20,000 fine.
 
The trial, which is expected to last three weeks, continues.

Jury considers verdict in Moreton-on-Lugg level crossing trial

The jury are still deliberating whether a signalman and Network Rail should have done more to prevent the death of a woman at a Herefordshire level crossing.

Jane Harding died after the car she was travelling in was in collision with a train travelling at 61mph through Moreton-on-Lugg in January 2010. The 52-year-old^s husband Mark, who was driving, survived.

Jurors at Birmingham Crown Court have heard that signalman Adrian Maund lifted the barriers after he thought that a train heading from Leominster had passed the crossing.

Mrs Harding, a hairdresser from Marden and a mother of one, was airlifted to Hereford County Hospital, but died from her injuries.

Carol Anne Thornewell and her 12-year-old daughter, were also involved in the collision, but survived.

But Maund, who had worked at the Moreton-on-Lugg signal box for 19 years, said that there were extenuating circumstances which led to his fatal error.

The court heard that a farmer had phoned Maund on two separate occasions asking if he could take his sheep across the line, only to be told that it was unsafe to do so because two trains travelling in opposite directions were shortly expected to arrive.

The distraction meant that Maund thought that the initial train had passed because he could still see cars waiting at the crossing and heard their engines revving.

Maund, who regularly worked 12 hour shifts on his own, dealing with up to 40 trains a day, added that he deeply regrets that the accident happened and said it had affected him badly during the past three years.

His defence barrister James Ageros even described his methodical way of working as ^like a robot^ and the enemy of a signaller is distraction.

But prosecutor Philip Mott said that Maund should still have made extra checks to see if the train had passed and Network Rail should have had an approach locking system installed as a back-up safety measure.

He said that the device, costing less than ^40,000, would have prevented the signals being changed and the barriers going up.

The court heard that Network Rail declined to install the locking system during renewal works at the Moreton crossing in 2009, despite them being considered at earlier meetings with the Office for Rail Regulation (ORR).

But Prashant Popat, a defence barrister representing Network Rail, said that there were was no requirement for the system to be fitted and said the device would cost up to ten times more.

Marcus Beard, who assesses the risks at level crossings, added that the Moreton-on-Lugg crossing was calculated as being fairly low risk.

Maund, aged 43, from Caswell Crescent, Leominster, denies failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of railway and railway crossing users by raising the level crossing barriers when it was unsafe to do so.

Network Rail has pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of failing in its duty of care for the health and safety of railway and railway crossing users by not installing an approach locking system.

The jury, consisting of seven women and five men, have been deliberating the case since Tuesday afternoon.

Signalman guilty over Herefordshire crossing death

Network Rail and a signalman have been found guilty of failing to ensure the safety of a woman who was killed at a level crossing.

Jane Harding, 52, died when the car she was in was hit by a train at Moreton-on-Lugg, Herefordshire, in 2010.

Birmingham Crown Court heard safety barriers had been raised before the collision on 16 January.

Network Rail and 43-year-old Maund are due to be sentenced at the same court on 10 April.

Both had denied breaching health and safety regulations.

'In a dither'

During the two-week trial, the prosecution told the court that Maund from Caswell Crescent, Leominster, Herefordshire, had put down the barriers as normal for a passing train.

Moments later, the jury heard the 43-year-old "got himself into a dither" when a farmer rang his signal-box for a second time asking if it was safe to walk his sheep over another crossing further up the track.

As he did not want the farmer to wait any longer, prosecutor Philip Mott QC said Maund had "panicked" and lifted the barriers, but failed to see the Manchester Piccadilly to Milford Haven train approaching around a bend.

Jurors were told the crash caused the car, which was being driven by Mrs Harding's husband Mark, to flip over.

She later died in hospital, while her husband suffered pelvic and shoulder injuries.

The Arriva Trains Wales service also hit another car being driven in the opposite direction, although the two passengers escaped with minor injuries.

Mr Mott told the court although it may be a case of "human error", Maund's former employer Network Rail was equally culpable for Mrs Harding's death because it had not fitted an automatic-locking device at the Moreton-on-Lugg crossing as part of improvement works there.

He said: "Network Rail took the decision not to install this device because it would cost ^40,000. That device could have saved a life."

The court heard the company decided not to install the safety device as part of a ^1.2m project at Moreton-on-Lugg three months before the crash.

Level crossing death: Signalman and Network Rail fined

Network Rail and one of its signalmen have been fined for failing to ensure the safety of a woman killed when a train hit a car at a level crossing.

Jane Harding, 52, died when the car she was in was hit at Moreton-on-Lugg, Herefordshire, in January 2010.

Birmingham Crown Court heard Adrian Maund, 43, from Caswell Crescent, Leominster, had raised safety barriers shortly before the crash.

He was fined ^1,750, while Network Rail was given a ^450,000 fine.

Maund was also ordered to complete 275 hours of unpaid work.

Both were found guilty following a three-week trial in February, after denying breaches of health and safety regulations.

The court heard Network Rail had failed to install an automatic barrier locking system.

The company was also ordered to pay ^33,000 towards prosecution costs, while Maund was told to pay ^750.

Her husband, who was driving, escaped the crash unharmed

Mrs Harding^s husband, Mark, who was driving their Volkswagen Touareg, survived the incident with shoulder and pelvic injuries.

Would it not have been better for the court to order NR to spend the fine on improving other LCs........... >:(

S&T is right, and I'm sure this is not the first time it's been said, but fining what is in effect a nationalised company is only recycling public money and actually hurts only the tax-payer and the rail passenger.  NR carry on as normal, except they cut back on investment.