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Investigation underway after train collision kills delivery driver in Lancashire

A supermarket delivery van and a passenger train collided at a user-operated level crossing categorized as a high-risk area.

Updated Aug 31, 2026 · 07:19 UTC1 reports

The short version

A delivery van driver was killed on Saturday afternoon after a Southport-to-Manchester train collided with their vehicle at a level crossing in Burscough, West Lancashire.
The collision occurred at a user-worked crossing equipped with miniature stop lights, which is rated by Network Rail as having "high individual risk" and "very high collective risk."
Local residents have raised concerns about safety at the crossing, alleging that the gate is frequently left open by users and that visibility is sometimes obstructed by a high hedge.
A joint investigation by British Transport Police, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, Network Rail, and Northern is ongoing to establish the circumstances of the crash.

The collision occurred around 15:00 GMT on Saturday at a crossing near Martin Lane and Whitehouse Lane in Burscough, West Lancashire.[BBC News]
The driver of what is understood to be a supermarket delivery vehicle was killed in the incident.[BBC News]
The crossing is classified as a "user-worked crossing with miniature stop lights" and has a Network Rail safety rating of B4, denoting high individual and very high collective risk.[BBC News]
Passengers were evacuated from the train approximately two hours after the collision by emergency personnel, with no passenger deaths reported.[BBC News]
Local residents reported that the crossing gate is frequently left open and that there has been an increase in delivery driver traffic in the area.[BBC News]
The rail line between Wigan and Southport remained closed more than 24 hours after the crash while investigations continued.[BBC News]

The exact circumstances leading to the collision, including why the vehicle was on the tracks as the train approached, remain under investigation.[BBC News]