Passenger trains collide at Lewes station
: Monday, October 18, 1999
A passenger train has collided with an empty train at Lewes in East Sussex this evening after possibly passing a red signal. No-one is thought to have been hurt.
The accident occured at 19:24 at a junction near Lewes station. A London to Hastings train struck the side of the empty train which was being shunted into the station platform. The passenger train was travelling slowly, at about 15 mph.
The passenger train was the 17:53 London, Victoria to Hastings and was carrying just 10 passengers. Both trains are operated by Connex.
The deputy prime minister, John Prescott has ordered an inquiry.
This latest incident comes just less than 2 weeks after two trains were involved in a head-on collision near London's Paddington station in which at least 30 people died. Since that accident there have been numerous calls for safety procedures to be improved on Britain's railways. Today, a new independent transport commission has highlighted a need for improved planning to avoid disasters such as the Paddington tragedy.
- Web sources
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