| Document
|
Author Mark S. Young & Nora Balfe |
| Abstract At about 06:07 hrs on Wednesday 9 November 2016, seven people lost their lives and 62 were injured when a tram overturned on a sharp left-hand curve in Croydon, south London. The tram was travelling at a speed of approximately 73 km/h as it entered the curve, which had a maximum permitted speed of 20 km/h. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) investigation focused on how the speed of trams is controlled, as well as issues linked to the design, operation and management of trams. This paper describes the findings associated with the driving of the tram, in particular why the driver did not apply sufficient braking for the curve. The RAIB concluded that the most likely cause was a temporary loss of awareness of the driving task during a period of low workload, which possibly caused a microsleep. It is also possible that when regaining awareness, the driver became confused about his location and direction of travel. Fifteen recommendations were made addressing these factors as well as wider aspects of safety and risk management. |
