Metrolink tram in 'near-miss' as driver failed to stop

The RAIB report says the driver had no recollection of the incident

A tram driver failed to stop at a signal near a station crossing and nearly collided with another tram, a safety investigation has found.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said a collision was only avoided in Manchester because the other Metrolink driver stopped their tram.

The report said the driver was nearly sacked after three other incidents.

Operators Keolis Amery Metrolink said it would ensure all the report's recommendations were met.

The RAIB report said the driver passed a red stop signal at Deansgate/Castlefield station in Manchester at 17:19 BST on 17 May 2019 .

A passenger stepped away from a crossing when they saw the tram was not going to stop and the tram driver "narrowly" avoided a collision after another driver, who reported the incident to Metrolink management, managed to stop their tram before he reached a junction.

The RAIB found the 62-year-old driver, who joined Metrolink in 2017, "was affected by a temporary loss of awareness" and had no clear recollection of the incident.

A passenger stepped away from a crossing when they saw the tram was not going to stop

It concluded the driver was either "affected by a medical event" or "lost attentional focus on the driving task".

It also stated: "There is conflicting evidence as to whether the driver may have been distracted by issues in his personal life at the time of the incident."

And it concluded: "This is something that could have affected his focus."

'Lack of concentration'

The report revealed the driver, who is not presently driving trams, had been involved in three similar incidents

On 9 February 2018, he passed a stop signal at Piccadilly station in Manchester with an internal investigation citing "a clear lack of concentration on the driver's part".

The RAIB said there was no evidence an action plan produced after this incident was ever followed.

He received a final written warning that he could be sacked for future violations following a second incident in which he failed to stop on 9 April 2018.

And he received his second final written warning when his "distraction causing loss of situational awareness" caused another incident on 5 April 2019.

The report does not explain why the driver was able to receive two final written warnings.

The tram passed a red stop light at Deansgate/Castlefield station

The report said that Metrolink's management "did not recognise the hazard of a driver losing awareness while operating a tram".

Ben Kershaw, director of health, safety, sustainability and environment (HSSE) at operator KeolisAmey Metrolink (KAM), said the firm was working to ensure all of the report's recommendations were met.

He said the company was considering the driver's future following the report.

Mr Kershaw added: "Incidents of this nature are extremely rare on the Metrolink network, which remains amongst the safest public transport systems in the UK."