Man dies after train collides with van at Lancashire level crossing
Police have issued a statement on the incident.
A man has died after a train collided with a van at a railway level crossing in Burscough, West Lancashire.
The incident happened shortly after 15:00 BST on Saturday, August 29, prompting a large emergency services operation. British Transport Police (BTP) said officers were called to the crossing after reports that a train had collided with a van.
The man, who was the sole occupant of the van, died at the scene as a result of the collision. Two passengers on the Wigan Wallgate to Southport train suffered minor injuries.
Police, fire and ambulance crews attended the scene, with emergency services also operating in nearby farmland. Passengers could be seen being helped down from the train by emergency services teams.
Train services have been suspended following the incident, with disruption expected until the end of the day on 30 August. Network Rail said it was working with Northern and police to investigate why the collision happened.
A British Transport Police spokesperson said: “We were called to a level crossing in Burscough, West Lancashire following reports at 3:18pm today (29 August) that a train had struck a van. Paramedics and the fire service also attended.
“One person was in the van and sadly a man was pronounced dead at the scene. Two people who were passengers on the train received treatment for minor injuries. The incident is not being treated as suspicious.
“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of what happened, any witnesses who haven’t already spoken to police are asked to text BTP on 61016 quoting the reference 373 of 29 August.”
On X, Northern issued a statement reading: "Due to the emergency services dealing with an incident Wigan Wallgate - Southport all lines are blocked. Please note that other train operators may also be affected by disruption – please check your whole journey before travelling."
"Northern train ticket restrictions have been lifted in the affected areas, including Advance and Peak restrictions, during this disruption. Restrictions will be reinstated once the disruption ends."