One person died today when a rush-hour train travelling at around 100mph hit a car on a level crossing — one day after a damning report into their safety.

Network Rail has launched an investigation into the incident which happened when the 6.22am Colchester to Norwich service collided with a silver Vauxhall Astra at an automatic level crossing at Swainsthorpe, in Norfolk at 7.25am.

The person in the car was killed, but the train driver and all passengers were unharmed and the train remained on the tracks.

The incident comes just one day after the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) issued a policy statement about level crossings, saying they represent the biggest risk of train accidents that could kill passengers.

Chris Connell, a British Transport Police Inspector, said: “There is one confirmed fatality in the vehicle. The train is safe and upright and there are not thought to be any injuries to those on board.”

The half-barrier level crossing at Swainsthorpe, which is controlled by lights, was the scene of a crash in November 2005 when a car driver was killed by a passenger train.

Jonathan Denby, a spokesman for the train operators, One, said: “The train was operating at its line speed of about 100mph and was about five or six miles south of Norwich when it struck a car on a level crossing at Swainsthorpe.

“The train stayed on the tracks and was able to stop about a mile and half beyond the crossing. Thankfully, there were no injuries to those on board. There were about 55 passengers on the train.”

Passengers were taken to Norwich by coach and the line between Diss and Norwich will remain closed, with a coach service replacing trains.

Yesterday's report by the ORR said that except in exceptional circumstances, there should be no new level crossings built because of the safety risk. There are currently about 7,700 level crossings on the national rail network.

In 2005, a total of 16 people were killed in incidents at level crossings, according to figures from the ORR.

Responsibility for managing safety at level crossings should not only fall to rail companies, the report said. It added that decisions about level crossings must involve rail companies, highway authorities and other relevant organisations as early on as possible.

The ORR recommended that rail companies should take all reasonable opportunities to remove or replace existing level crossings or make them safer. And that a consistent approach must be adopted to inspect level crossings and review safety measures.

In November 2004, seven people were killed and 150 injured when a train hit a car that had stopped at a level crossing at Ufton Nervet near Reading in Berkshire. The dead included the driver of the car and the train driver.

Man electrocuted on top of train

A man died after being electrocuted with a 25,000-volt shock while hitching a free ride on top of a railway carriage, police said today.

The man, who has not been named, burst into flames on the roof of the freight train when he came into contact with overhead power lines at Manchester Piccadilly station just before 8.50pm last night.

British Transport Police are investigating the reason why the man got on to the top of the carriage, but believe he may have done so to get a free ride.

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