At around 09:00 on 18 April 2025, a Tyne & Wear Metro service travelling from Newcastle to South Hylton hit a pedestrian on Blue House Lane footpath crossing. This crossing is located near East Boldon, Sunderland.

As the driver approached the footpath crossing, they saw a dog walker and another pedestrian on the crossing. The driver immediately applied the emergency brake and sounded the train’s warning horn, but the second pedestrian was hit by the train. This second pedestrian received serious injuries. The train was travelling at an approximate speed of 29 km/h (18 mph) when the collision occurred, and it came to a stand around 20 metres beyond the crossing.

RAIB were notified of the accident soon after it occurred. We have since gathered evidence from the railway industry and carried out a preliminary examination into the circumstances surrounding the incident. We have concluded it is unlikely that further investigation will lead to new recommendations for the improvement of railway safety. Consequently, RAIB will not investigate further or produce an investigation report.

However, our preliminary examination found that the factors present during the accident at Blue House Lane are similar to those identified during RAIB’s earlier investigation into a pedestrian struck by a train at Lady Howard footpath and bridleway crossing on 21 April 2022 (RAIB report 01/2023). At both locations, a risk was identified that trains passing each other near to the crossing might mean that pedestrian crossing users are unaware of the approach of a second train.

Recommendation 1 in our report into the accident at Lady Howard had the intention ‘to reduce the risk at footpath and bridleway level crossings of a second train approaching being hidden from the view of crossing users by a previously passing train’. The status of the recommendation, as reported to RAIB by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) in March 2024, is ‘Closed’.

ORR reported in its response to RAIB that Network Rail had taken substantive actions in response to this recommendation. This took the form of a sign being fitted to all level crossings (with two lines or more) as an interim solution which warned users that ‘oncoming trains can be hidden by other trains’ and for users ‘not to cross until all lines are clear’. RAIB’s preliminary examination found that this sign was fitted to the entrance gates at Blue House Lane footpath crossing.

ORR also reported that Network Rail’s long-term intent was to fit miniature stop lights through normal risk management protocols, where they are demonstrated to manage risk so far as is reasonably practicable. However, Network Rail has stated that, while the likelihood of an event where a second train approaching is potentially hidden by another train can be influenced by factors such as the numbers of user and trains, and that other factors, such as topography and the type of crossing user, mean that it is too complex in practice to identify those crossings which have the highest risk of this occurring.

RAIB’s Annual Report for 2024 stated that, despite the actions taken by Network Rail in response to this recommendation, RAIB remains concerned about the underlying risk which this recommendation sought to address.

RAIB has written to the Office of Rail and Road, to draw its attention to the accident at Blue House Lane when considering the industry’s current and future management of this known risk, specifically considering its response to the Lady Howard report recommendation.

We have copied this letter to Network Rail, Nexus and the Rail Safety and Standards Board so that they are aware of its contents.