Ufton Nervet level crossing: incidents and discussions (merged topics)

[whole diary]

[JayMac]

Certainly one exception which was the non-functioning barriers at Ufton Nervot previously. Although RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) haven't yet published their report.

Maybe to add: 'or operated in an unsafe manner.'

The RAIB have already said in their preliminary investigation into the 'near miss':

The RAIB's preliminary investigation found that the level crossing was being controlled locally at the time of the incident. The person controlling the crossing had not received any instruction to lower the barriers before the train arrived.

I agree though that further speculation is perhaps not best until the RAIB publish their final reports into both recent incidents.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Purely in the interests of continuity, ease of reference and avoidance of duplication, I've now merged several previous topics into this one.

These posts cover more than one sad incident at this location: I'm grateful that respect has been shown to the families and friends of the deceased, and support for the railway staff involved has also been stated. Thanks. CfN. 

[EBrown]

Piece of opinion in the NWN about the crossing.

[BerkshireBugsy]

Piece of opinion in the NWN about the crossing.

I didn't realise the speed limit along that section was that high - I thought it was 90 but am happy to be corrected

Dave

[EBrown]

It isn't. The maximum line speed is 100mph for a half barrier crossing.

[BerkshireBugsy]

I'm posting this as an open question as I don't want to (at this stage ) explain my reasons for asking.

As some of you may know this crossing has been the scene of some fatal incidents over the last decade or so. Can you ever see a time when it will be converted to a full barrier crossing ?

The one point I will make is that I have no connection with anyone involved in any of the incidents at this location so don't have a vested motive in that respect.

Dave

[BandHcommuter]

I understand (from a previous thread on this forum I think) that Network Rail is investing large sums of money in a programme to reduce the safety risk at level crossings in general. I don't know whether this particular crossing is part of this programme, but it may be worth contacting Network Rail direct to find out.

[EBrown]

As I posted somewhere else:

(This is the only information I've seen on this)

NETWORK Rail is investigating possible changes to the Ufton Nervet level crossing in the wake of several deaths at the notorious spot since the 2004 disaster.

A spokesman for the railway authority, Chris Denham, said it was carrying out a survey and could not rule out any possible changes to the crossing, including the possibility of a bridge being built or a full barrier being installed.

^The only thing we can rule out is the crossing being closed,^ he said.

^We welcome the input of local people and understand their concerns, which is why we are looking at different options and doing this survey.^

There are three options open to Network Rail should it wish to modify any crossing, it can close it, build a bridge across, or place full barriers.

It is not a full consultation, however West Berkshire Council will have some input into the survey.

Network Rail said the local feeling was to keep the crossing open as it provides a vital transport link around the county, and by ruling out closure it looks like changes will finally be brought in following the high-profile tragedies which put Ufton Nervet in the national spotlight.

In June the rail industry refused to buckle over calls to make alterations to the level crossing despite another death at the notorious spot last week.

Following the tragic events of November 2004 when seven people died and hundreds were injured after a train hit a car parked across the tracks and several other deaths and near misses in the intervening years, on Tuesday, teacher David Montague, a 45-year-old father of two, from Woodley, was killed when his scooter was hit by a high speed train.

A survivor of the 2004 crash, Jane Hakwer, from Newbury, called for a full barrier to be installed at the crossing to prevent vehicles driving on to the tracks when a train approaches.

The Newbury Weekly News and website Newburytoday.co.uk was contacted by several other people who asked for the same change to be made.

Anyone who wishes to add their voice is advised to contact the Network Rail helpline on 08457 114141.

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The Coroner looking into the death of David Montague has recorded an open verdict.

A grieving widow described how she gave her husband a kiss and said 'Goodbye' to him on the morning he was killed on a level crossing in Ufton Nervet.

Coroner Anna Burnside recorded an open verdict at an inquest in Newbury today into the death of David Montague, 45, of Welford Road, Woodley.

Tributes to teacher David Montague

Mr Montague was a popular modern language teacher at Reading Blue Coat School in Sonning.

His wife Susan told the coroner he had been feeling unwell and she presumed he was going to stay at home that day.

She left for work at around 9.15am on May 22 this year, kissing him goodbye.

He was killed on the level crossing when he was hit by a train while still on his scooter at around 1.05pm that day.

Mrs Montague said her husband had been a learner on the scooter for many years, but she had never seen him drive it.

Motorist Christopher Fox following a scooter at 12.40pm said in a statement he saw a scooter driver begin to go around the level crossing barriers which were down, then looked over shoulder, saw the car behind and stopped.

Mr Fox reported what he had seen after he heard later in the day someone had been killed on the crossing.

Driver of the Paddington to Taunton train Ryan Howe in a statement described how he saw a man with a scooter on the line ahead of him.

He said: "He was moving the handlebars in a vigorous motion as if he was stuck between the tracks."

As he braked, Mr Howe said he was shouting "get off the bike, get off the bike."

A post accident review revealed there were no faults at the level crossing and no evidence the scooter was stuck in the tracks. Mr Montague died from multiple injuries.

An examination of the scooter found it was not faulty.

Ms Burnside said there were "certain events in Mr Montague's own life which were not enough to convince me that he took his own life."

She went on: "There is not enough evidence to convince me that he has deliberately taken his own life. The only verdict open to me is an open verdict."

[EBrown]

From NWN.

Ufton Nervet barrier petition to be presented to council

A PETITION to install a full width barrier and CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) camera at the Ufton Nervet crossing is to be presented to West Berkshire Council.

Mortimer councillor Geoff Mayes (Lib Dem) will be proposing the motion to a full meeting of the council on Thursday.

It was created following the death of moped rider David Montague, aged 45, from Reading, in May.

Hungerford resident Simon Hudson began the online petition stating: ^In 2004 the Ufton Nervet rail crash disaster killed seven and again this year in May another person died, we must get Network Rail to commit to improving this precarious situation.

^As it stands there is only a half width barrier, this means that some pedestrians and vehicles will try to pass around the barrier endangering both themselves and the train.

^To solve this problem and ensure that it does not happen again we propose a full width barrier that would stop people going around the barriers is installed. If CCTV is installed it would be linked to the signal box so that the operator can check whether the crossing is clear before dropping the barriers.

^This action should make the crossing safer for all rail and road users in the future,^ Mr Mayes said.

Seven people died in the crash in November 2004, and another 130 were left injured when the train hit a car parked over the tracks and derailed.

The Rail Accident Investigation Board is still looking into a near miss last September between a train and a car at the crossing.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the London Evening Standard:

'Deadly' level crossing to be replaced with bridge

The most notorious level crossing in the country is to be replaced by a bridge, Network Rail announced today.

Ufton Nervet on the main Paddington line to the West of England is to be torn down and rebuilt after a series of derailments and deaths.

In November 2004 a First Great Western Paddington to Plymouth express collided at 100 mph with a car on the crossing; eight carriages were derailed and six people, including train driver Stan Martin died with 11 seriously injured.

Brian Drysdale, the car driver, also perished. An inquest concluded the chef from nearby Reading had committed suicide by parking his vehicle on the crossing.

In May this year David Montague, also from Reading, died when he was hit by a train while on his scooter.

National Rail (NR^» (Network Rail - home page)) does not own the land by the crossing and planning and highways consent will be required. It will now work closely with land owners, the local authority and residents.

Patrick Hallgate,  NR route managing director, said: "We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make changes at Ufton Nervet as part of our plans to resignal and electrify the line.  It is our view that we have a very strong case to close the crossing and replace it with a road bridge."

The crossing, between Theale and Aldermaston, only has half barriers making it easier for cars to get across when the barriers are down.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Network Rail press release:

Network Rail aims to replace Ufton Nervet level crossing with a road bridge

After months of careful examination, Network Rail has announced that its preferred option for replacing a level crossing in Ufton Nervet will be a bridge. Patrick Hallgate, Network Rail route managing director, said: ^We have a once-in-a generation opportunity to make changes at Ufton Nervet as part of our plans to resignal and electrify the line."

The crossing is due to be renewed and Network Rail has studied the feasibility of all the options available including replacing the crossing with a road bridge, an underpass or installing full-barriers. The company's preferred choice is to close the crossing and replace it with a bridge as this option eliminates all risk.

The company will work closely with land owners, the local authority and residents to take this preferred option forward. It does not own the land by the crossing and planning and highways consent will be required.

Patrick Hallgate, Network Rail route managing director, said: ^We have a once-in-a generation opportunity to make changes at Ufton Nervet as part of our plans to re-signal and electrify the line.

"It is our view that we have a strong case to close the crossing and replace it with a road bridge. Every crossing that we close removes the risk of a person or vehicle being struck by a train and improves safety for everyone on the railway and for those who travel across it.

^Closing a level crossing is not an easy process and it is not something that we can do alone. To make this happen, we will need the support of land owners, the local authority and local people. We will look to their support as we look to continue improving safety and upgrading the rail network for the future."

Ufton Nervet level crossing is located between Aldermaston and Theale and in the last few months Network Rail has examined a number of options for it. Network Rail is funded to provide a like-for-like replacement at this location and to build a road bridge it will need to secure additional funding.

Network Rail considered the following options:

(i) Closing the crossing and replacing it with a road bridge
This is Network Rail^s preferred choice. The land surrounding the crossing is open farmland, making it possible to build a road bridge at this site. Every time a path or the road meets the railway there is a risk and Network Rail considers that a bridge at this location would improve safety and eliminate this risk. Although the annual cost of maintaining a road bridge and a full-barrier crossing are similar, the life span of a bridge is much longer than a level crossing, strengthening the case for this option.

(ii) Installing a full barrier crossing at Ufton Nervet
This option would enhance safety and is less expensive to install than a road bridge. While there is still a crossing, a level of risk remains and that is why Network Rail^s preferred option is to close it and replace the crossing with a bridge.

(iii) Closing the crossing and replacing it with an underpass
Providing an underpass would have similar safety benefits to a bridge, but it is considered that this scheme would incur considerably higher costs than the other available options. The crossing is close to the river and canal which means that the underpass would need to be designed to eliminate the flood risk, therefore the costs of this option would be grossly disproportionate to the benefits. It would not provide the best value for money.

The next step for Network Rail is to develop the bridge plan further, including looking at land purchase, designs and funding.

[BerkshireBugsy]

When I read an earlier post in this thread the implication was it was going to be built (although that was from a quoted source). The local Berkshire tv news this morning reported a bridge as the "preferred NR^» (Network Rail - home page) option " which is confirmed by the release you shared - thanks for posting that.

Dave

[paul7575]

Isn't the Standard's article quoted by CfN typical media exaggeration though?

'Deadly' level crossing?   'Most notorious'? 

In principle it is no more dangerous than any other of the same type.

Paul

[EBrown]

Now, there is an angry Councillor according to NWN...

Anger over rail firm’s bridge decision at Ufton Nervet
A WEST Berkshire councillor who started a petition calling on Network Rail to improve safety at Ufton Nervet level-crossing has lambasted the rail company for proposing to replace the crossing with a bridge.

The half-barrier level-crossing has been the site of a number of deaths in recent years. Seven people died at the crossing in 2004 after a train hit a car parked across the tracks.

Then, in June 2009, 67-year-old Thomas Porter, of Reading, committed suicide by jumping in front of an oncoming train, followed by another death in January 2010 when a man was struck by a train.

Finally, in May, David Montague, of Woodley was killed when his scooter was hit by a train while the barriers were down.

Geoff Mayes (Lib Dem, Mortimer) collected more than 340 names on his petition calling on Network Rail to install a full barrier and CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) at the site, but earlier this month the rail firm announced it would replace the crossing with a bridge.

Mr Mayes said: “While meeting our demands for increased safety at the half-barrier level-crossing, a bridge is not the practical solution to the problem that we had recommended.

“We asked for a full barrier gated crossing linked to the signal controller by CCTV. If, as Network Rail makes clear, the existing equipment is due for replacement, then the full barrier replacement crossing should be cost-effective and achievable in the near future.

“A bridge will be considerably more expensive, no source of funding has been identified and it would take far longer to design and construct.

“The bridge would need to be 7.25 metres above track levels to give the clearance for the new electrified train service, and would dominate a flat rural area in the River Kennet flood plain.

“The resulting hump-backed design would be dangerous for road traffic and pedestrians walking down Ufton Lane, even if the new bridge included a footway.”

Network Rail route managing director Patrick Hallgate said that the imminent electrification of the Great Western main line had provided the rail company with a “once-in-a generation” opportunity to replace the crossing with a bridge.

“It’s true that installing a full-barrier crossing would enhance safety and be less expensive to install than a road bridge – however, while there is still a crossing, a level of risk remains and that is why Network Rail’s preferred option is to replace the crossing with a bridge.

“To make this happen, we will need the support of landowners, the local authority and local people.

“Every crossing that we close removes the risk of a person or vehicle being struck by a train and improves safety for everyone on the railway and for those who travel across it,” Mr Hallgate added.

Network Rail is currently investigating and purchase, designs and funding for the new bridge.

Councillor: "I want a safer solution"
Network Rail: "Here's a safer solution"
Councillor: "I don't want the safer solution".

Question: How are bridges with footpaths still dangerous for pedestrians? Is it dangerous in the same way, say a road with a footpath is? Why is it dangerous for vehicles? Given the NR^» (Network Rail - home page) haven't actually designed the bridge, is the Councillor just blowing smoke somewhere?