The Rail Accident Investigation Branch have released a bulletin into the collision between a bus and a tram at the junction of George Street and Park Lane in central Croydon on 7th September 2008. The report states that the collision was caused by a bus going through a red traffic light at the junction, possibly because a green light was visible across the junction because the louvres on that signal were damaged.
During the incident the tram was derailed by its front bogie and the bus suffered extensive structural damage to its front offside corner and driver’s compartment. A passenger travelling at the front of the upper deck of the bus was thrown out of a side window receiving fatal injuries.
The tram was signalled to pass through the junction and was travelling at 29kmh (18mph) just before the collision. The bus had initially stopped at red traffic lights, it then drove forward and hit the tram. It is believed that the bus started to move because the driver saw separate traffic lights across the other side of the junction change to green – these were visible because the louvres on that signal were damaged.
After the collision the tram stopped in 15.5 metres but the bus turned ninety degrees and travelled 100 metres at a high speed until it hit a parked car and came to rest against the front of a shop.
Although the incident has been reported as a bulletin rather than a full investigation (it was decided a full investigation would not lead to the identification of any further significant lessons that would improve the safety of tramways or prevent tramway accidents and incidents) the RAIB have mentioned a number of “learning points”:
* the need to carry out regular checking, maintenance and timely repair of road traffic lights and in particular ones fitted with louvres
* the need to brief relevant staff on the role of the RAIB and in particular the need to preserve evidence and not to undertake testing until permission is given
* although not directly related to the accident it is observed that there is a need to ensure effective liaison between the tram operator, the tram infrastructure manager and the traffic authority on matters related to road junction operational changes and alterations to traffic controllers
* The full bulletin of this incident is available on the RAIB website here (PDF document).
Source: RAIB