South Eastern Railway has accepted the findings of a report into the death of an Amazon driver at a rail crossing in Kent, acknowledging that the tragedy could have been avoided. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report, published on Monday, highlighted that the training and guidance provided to the self-employed driver were insufficient to ensure safe use of the crossing.
David Davidson, the chief operating officer for South Eastern Railway, stated that the company has since modified the site's layout and issued new guidance for professional drivers using similar crossings. The RAIB's chief inspector, Andrew Hall, described private user-operated crossings as a "19th Century concept operating in a 21st Century world," emphasizing that most road users are unfamiliar with these crossings and how to use them safely.
Hall also noted another fatal incident involving a delivery van driver at a user-operated crossing in Lancashire in August. The RAIB has made several recommendations, including a review of the design of user-operated crossings by Network Rail and a review of guidance for organizations employing drivers by the Health and Safety Executive.
The Department for Transport, Office of Rail and Road, and Amazon have been approached for comment on the report's findings.