RAIB urges whistle-board crossing review after fatal accident

A national rail-safety report has raised a practical question for infrastructure managers: can train horns and whistle boards adequately protect everyone using a footpath crossing?

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch examined the death of a pedestrian at Pewsey footpath crossing in Wiltshire on 26 February 2025. The passenger train was travelling at about 93mph (154km/h). Its driver sounded the warning horn near the whistle board and then repeatedly sounded it after seeing the pedestrian.

RAIB said the pedestrian, who had hearing loss, was probably unaware of the approaching train when entering the crossing. It said the horn may not have been clearly audible because of the hearing loss, environmental noise and the distance from the whistle board, which was longer than Network Rail guidance allowed. An alternative route the pedestrian normally used had been temporarily closed.

Six recommendations to Network Rail called for suitable controls where whistle boards may be inadequate, short-term protection for people who are deaf or have hearing loss, and a review of whether continued use of whistle boards remains appropriate. They also covered alignment of standards, assurance of crossing-risk assessments and the wider safety effect of closing public rights of way.

The recommendations concern Network Rail's broader crossing-risk controls rather than only the Wiltshire location, giving the findings relevance to similar infrastructure management across Great Britain. RAIB said its role is to prevent future accidents and improve railway safety, not to assign blame or liability.