Investigation into a trackworker struck by a train between Radlett Junction and Elstree & Borehamwood station, Hertfordshire, 15 March 2026.
At around 21:00 on Sunday 15 March 2026, a train operated by East Midlands Railway, travelling at approximately 110 mph (177 km/h), struck and fatally injured a track worker on the Midland Main Line between Radlett Junction and Elstree & Borehamwood station in Hertfordshire.
The train was travelling on the Up Fast line when the accident occurred. The track worker was one of two members of staff who were carrying out track measurements on the adjacent Down Fast line, following an earlier embankment failure, and ongoing repair work. These measurements were taking place within a line blockage of the Down Fast line, while the Up Fast line remained open to rail traffic.
Our investigation will seek to identify the sequence of events which led to the accident. It will also consider:
- the actions of those involved and the factors that may have influenced them
- the way in which the work was planned
- how the risks associated with being on or near a railway line were being managed
- any underlying management factors.
Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry or by the industry's regulator, the Office of Rail and Road .
