The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has released its report today into the collision between a tram and a pedestrian at Staniforth Road in Sheffield on 27 October 2005.
The full report is available here.
A summary of the key points from the report is included below
Summary
Tram 112, carrying around 20 passengers and travelling north-east towards Meadowhall, Sheffield, struck and seriously injured a pedestrian on the foot/cycle crossing adjacent to the Staniforth/Woodbourn road junction. The pedestrian, who had been walking away from the City Centre along Woodbourn Road beside the tramway, stepped onto the crossing directly in front of the oncoming tram. On being struck, the pedestrian was thrown onto the road junction some distance from the tramlines. The tram continued across the foot/cycle crossing and the road junction before coming to a stop. No one on the tram was injured.
Three recommendations are made to improve tramway safety.
Recommendations
Following an organisation’s consideration of the recommendations below and decisions regarding implementation, then, that organisation will be responsible for establishing the necessary implementation priority and timescale taking into account their health and safety responsibilities and the safety risk profile and safety priorities within their organisation.
Stagecoach Supertram should either replace the fence with a design that provides the tram driver with better visibility of pedestrians as they approach the crossing, introduce compulsory audible warnings and/or take other appropriate measures so as to reduce the likelihood of such an event reoccurring (paragraph 34).Until this has been done, the interim use of compulsory audible warnings (see paragraph 38) should be maintained.
Stagecoach Supertram should examine the risks generated by other crossings where the tram driver’s view of the pedestrian’s final approach is restricted and improve the driver’s sightlines, introduce compulsory audible warnings and/or take other appropriate measures to reduce the likelihood of such an event reoccurring (paragraph 34).
HMRI should amend Railway Safety Principles and Guidance Part 2 Section G to ensure that the design of pedestrian crossings should consider not only “insufficient visibility of an approaching tram”, but also tram drivers’ insufficient visibility of approaching pedestrians (paragraphs 20 and 34).
Actions Already Taken or in Progress
Stagecoach Supertram, South Yorkshire Police and Sheffield City Council have started discussions on the replacement of the fence adjacent to the crossing.
Stagecoach Supertram have introduced a compulsory audible warning by all trams at this location as an interim measure.
Stagecoach Supertram have carried out an assessment of the entire route and have identified a number of locations where similar conditions exist. They have begun to fully assess all the identified locations and, where necessary, will introduce measures to reduce the chance of a similar event occurring.
Notes to Editors
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch started operation on 17th October 2005. The sole purpose of RAIB investigations is to prevent future accidents and incidents and improve railway safety. The RAIB does not establish blame, liability or carry out prosecutions.
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Newsdate: 6 March 2006
