At around 23:34 on 25 September 2025, a passenger train travelling at 108 mph (174 km/h) passed close to a van that had been reversed onto the tracks by railway staff at an access point near to Millbrook, Bedfordshire.
The railway staff involved planned to work on the Up and Down Slow lines at this location, which were blocked to rail traffic. However, they instead accessed the railway adjacent to the Up and Down Fast lines, which were still open to normal train services. At the time of the near miss, the van was positioned on the Down Fast line, with its rear close to the Up Fast line on which the train was travelling. There were no injuries or damage caused during the incident.
We have undertaken a preliminary examination into the circumstances surrounding this incident. Having assessed the evidence which has been gathered to date, we have decided to publish a safety digest.
The safety digest will be made available on our website in the next few weeks.