A RAIL Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report into the death of 83-year-old Derek Thomas, hit by a train on an unmanned level crossing at Bentley last year, has triggered renewed calls by the family for a warning light system to prevent further tragedies.

Mr Thomas, a grandfather of four, was returning from walking his dog, Maisie, in Alice Holt Forest on October 5, 2016, when he was struck by the 4.14pm through train out of Alton, bound for London Waterloo.

While a January inquest into Mr Thomas’ death returned a narrative verdict (recording the factual circumstances of a death), the ensuing RAIB investigation has looked in minute detail at the circumstances surrounding the accident and has this week made recommendations which, Derek’s brother Graham believes “do not go far enough”.

The report cites the weather conditions at the time as having contributed to Derek’s decision to cross the track when it was unsafe to do so - but “too much emphasis”, Graham believes, has been put on his brother’s confinement to a mobility scooter and not enough on the fact that anyone crossing the line at that point, especially a child, may have made a similar mistake.

The RAIB’s investigation has also revealed that, while footpath crossings such as these are normally inspected by Network Rail at regular two yearly intervals, the last risk assessment at Alice Holt had been carried out just over a year before Mr Thomas’ death on September 1, 2015. as a consequence of another “near miss incident”.

While RAIB has recommended making improvements to the type of fencing used alongside the track - the posts of which may have restricted the view of the track from a scooter, and that Network Rail should modify its crossing management processes “so that they consider mobility scooter use at all crossings which rely on users looking and listening for trains”, Graham feels this does not fully address the issue.

Well used by walkers and cyclists as the footpath route into Alice Holt Forest and as the start of the popular Shipwright’s Way, Graham believes the obvious and most responsible solution would be to install a red and green lighting system to warn crossing users of an approaching train.

“Flashing warning lights must be the answer for all footpath crossing users,” he said, otherwise, it is “another accident waiting to happen, and this time it could be a child.”

The RAIB records how Derek Thomas, a regular user of the crossing who lived in Bentley, was riding his mobility scooter across the footpath crossing, on the Farnham side of the platform, at around 4.20pm when the incident occurred.

CCTV footage shows that Derek had successfully negotiated the crossing on his outbound journey some 38 minutes earlier, when he had appeared to pause to follow the “look and listen” code for unmanned footpath crossings such as these, which do not have a barrier.

In the report summary it stated: “Users of Alice Holt footpath crossing are required to look and listen for approaching trains before deciding whether it is safe to cross the line. It is uncertain why the user decided to cross when it was unsafe to do so, as CCTV images suggest that he had previously crossed in a safe manner.

“It is probable that the user did not see the train or misjudged when it would arrive at the crossing, perhaps due to sun glare, when deciding to cross.

“The mobility scooter user’s opportunity to see the approaching train was limited by the design of Alice Holt crossing, in particular the fencing. The mobility scooter user did not react to the train’s horn, possibly because he did not hear it."

The report goes on to detail the low level of the sun, the “glare” from which could have prevented Derek from seeing the approaching train, and the strength of the wind which could have contributed to him from hearing the warning whistle that was sounded by the approaching train as it passed the whistle point further down the line towards Alton.

It is thought that the positioning of a fence post may also have contributed to his failure to see and hear the approaching train which would have been travelling at 70mph as it passed through the station.

While the post and fencing has since been replaced, and the whistle point has been moved back to extend the warning time, Graham believes through trains should not be travelling at speed when passing through the station.

As soon as he saw someone on the line the train driver had applied the emergency brake but, had it been a stopping train, slowing down as it approached the station, his brother believes Derek may still be alive.

The Bentley station crossing is one of five pedestrian foot crossings between Farnham and Alton, including three within the boundaries of Alice Holt Forest. It is estimated that 115 pedestrians and cyclists use the Bentley station crossing every day.