The Rail Accident Investigation Branch’s latest report has been released looking into the incident on 16th May 2012 when a pedestrian was hit by a tram at Sandilands becoming trapped between the platform edge and tram. Although the report states that the main reason for the incident was that the pedestrian had not looked to see if a tram had been approaching before attempting to cross the tram tracks it also puts the blame on Tramlink for not being able to reduce the risk of people being hit by trams on foot crossings.
The incident occurred at 0944 on Wednesday 16th May 2012 when a pedestrian attempted to cross the tramway on a designated foot crossing at the Croydon end of Sandilands stop. Unfortunately as she stepped onto the tracks as a tram was approaching from Croydon and struck the lady at 26kmh. This caused the pedestrian to fall into the space between the platform face and the rail closest to the platform. She remained in that position as the tram continued into the platform to its normal stopping point causing serious injuries to the pedestrian. The tram involved was CR4000 2544 but no part of the investigation has attached any responsibility towards the tram.
The report confirms that the immediate cause of the accident was the fact that the pedestrian walked onto the tramway as she had seen that the tram she wanted to catch had already arrived in the westbound platform and she didn’t want to miss it. The RAIB also outline possible reasons why the pedestrian had not seen the tram approaching and these included:
- The pedestrian may not have been able to see the approaching eastbound tram as she walked from the adjacent bus stop to the entrance of the tram stop because her view could have been obstructed by lineside equipment cabinets (although these do not block the view all the way to the crossing so any pedestrian should still be able to see any approaching trams before attempting to cross so long as they are looking)
- The pedestrian did not look to see if an eastbound tram was approaching
- The approach to the foot crossing at the west end of the tram stop had not been configured to encourage people to look both ways before crossing
- The risk at Sandilands tram stop and its associated foot crossings was not fully understood by London Tramlink because:
* the risk ranking process that had been applied by Tramlink in 2008/9 did not
provide a suitable basis for evaluating risk at foot crossings and
* London Tramlink prioritised other crossings for the application of risk
mitigation measures - No works were planned for Sandilands to reduce the likelihood of a pedestrian being struck by a tram despite a further risk assessment in May 2011 identifying that this crossing represented the highest risk of any foot crossing at a tram stop outside the town centre.
Since this incident London Tramlink have made changes to the crossings at Sandilands with signage warning pedestrians to be aware of trams and chicane fencing has been installed which it is hoped will enable pedestrians to see approaching trams easier.
The RAIB have also given a few more recommendations to improve safety at foot crossings across the network:
- London Tramlink should continue to develop its process for periodically assessing risks at all foot crossings taking into account the findings from the report.
- London Tramlink should conduct a review into approaches to all foot crossings on the network from all credible directions to determine whether any obstructions to pedestrians views exist and whether they can be removed (this is in relation to the lineside equipment at Sandilands which is said to block the view of trams)
- Office of Rail Regulation should re-evaluate and revises it guidance to tramway operators to take into account pedestrian and tram driver sight lines from all credible approaches to foot crossings when planning new works. They should also look at the optimum angle of approach for pedestrians and the need for a recess under tram stop platforms and the desirability of paving up to rail level between the platform side rail and the platform face.
- London Tramlink and Tram Operations Ltd should jointly review and amend their accident investigation procedures so joint investigations are always carried out.
- London Tramlink should conduct a review of its arrangements for taking and prioritising safety decisions and take any necessary steps to secure for the organisation sufficient competence in safety and risk management techniques.
* The full RAIB review into this incident can be downloaded from http://www.raib.gov.uk/cms_resources/130214_R032013_Sandilands.pdf
If the pedestrian’s view of the tram was obstructed by the lineside equipment cabinets, then it follows that the tram driver’s view of the pedestrian would have been impaired by the same obstruction. If the tram driver could have seen the pedestrian and her direction of movement sooner, he might have (should have) sounded his audible warning of approach, possibly preventing the accident – as may already have happened many times on previous occasions in similar circumstances. This incident at Sandilands bears a strong resemblance to a pedestrian fatality on 5th June 2011 at Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester (RAIB Report: 120530_PN_Piccadilly_Gardens). Metrolink is soon to introduce another pedestrian crossing at the proposed Queens Road tram stop, where trams coming from Manchester will approach the pedestrian crossing decelerating from line speed. Going towards Manchester they will approach the same crossing from a standstill.
Metrolink will have pedestrian crossings at both ends of most Phase 3 stops. The issue really is as you and the RAIB say sight lines. At Sandilands the equipment cabinets were said to impair visibility. The difference with the Metrolink Phase 3 stops is that there are no cabinets immediately trackside, generally they have small building set back from the track which don’t impair visibility. Piccadilly Gardens ‘Berlin Wall’ is a slightly different situation as there was very little Metrolink could do about the perceived hazard, the tramway was there first and some rather thoughtless architect came along and stuck a great big lump of concrete in the way. I know the Coroner implied that there should be fencing, but that brings its own hazards of people getting trapped with no way of escaping an approaching tram. My question is why is there such a fuss when a tram tragically hits someone but not when a bus does the same thing?
With regard to Sandilands, the tram driver IS able to see the crossing very clearly for some distance on approach, and the pedestrian can clearly see a tram. I know, I used to be a Croydon tram driver and also regularly use Sandilands tram stop. The driver is high enough from the ground to see over the cabinets and past the OLE mast. What it takes is the pedestrain to stop or slow down when approaching the crossing and look along the tram line in both directions before crossing. If you cannot see clearly STOP LOOK LISTEN. Additionally the driver should have sounded his horn and approached at caution, as he should have been anyway with another tram in the opposite platform. IF both parties were paying attention to what they were doing the accidnet would probably have been avoided.