Motorists say rail barriers failed to come down last week, days before fatal Hoghton train crash - “The lights were flashing, but the barriers stayed up - I just thought it was a blip!”

Motorists say rail barriers failed last week near the scene of Thursday’s fatal train crash in Hoghton.

placeholder image — An investigation is continuing into how the train, travelling from Colne to Preston, collided with a car on a level crossing in Station Road, killing the driver - a woman in her 30s - and leaving an 8-year-old girl fighting for her life in hospital. | Nelson & Northern

An investigation is continuing into how the train, travelling from Colne to Preston, collided with a car on a level crossing in Station Road, killing the driver - a woman in her 30s - and leaving an 8-year-old girl fighting for her life in hospital.

British Transport Police are working with Network Rail and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to establish exactly what happened. No details have been made public at this stage on what caused the crash.

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The crossing in Station Road has a number of safety measures in place - including signage, traffic light signals, half-barriers and ‘whistle boards’, which alert drivers and pedestrians to approaching trains.

But following Thursday’s tragedy, local motorists said the half-barriers at a nearby junction - the Hospital Inn level crossing in Brindle Road, Bamber Bridge - failed last week.

Motorists say the barriers at a level crossing near the scene of the fatal Hoghton train crash failed to come down last week, despite signs flashing and alarms sounding | Medina Adam

‘The lights were flashing, but the barriers stayed up - I thought, I’m not risking it!’

“This happened at Hospital Inn last week,” said a woman, commenting on a local Facebook group.

“Lights were flashing and beeping but barriers didn’t go down, so I stopped. I got so much abuse off other drivers, it was unreal. So glad I didn’t risk it.

“It was about 8.45am last week on my way to work,” she added. “One van driver three cars behind me actually got out of his vehicle to see what the issue was.

“My thought was - I’m not risking it, but if others wanted to pass me they could. I’m now thinking after today (Thursday, June 25) that it’s been an intermittent problem for a good week?

“I didn’t think anything of it at the time, I just thought it was a blip.”

Aerial view of emergency services at Hoghton Crossing following an incident on Thursday, June 25, 2026. **IMAGE IS STRICTLY NOT FOR SYNDICATION** For use by Lancashire Post, Chorley Guardian and Blackpool Gazette only. | Dave Nelson

She raised her concerns after footage was shared on Facebook showing half-barriers failing to lower at another level crossing in Gregson Lane - one mile from the scene of the crash in Hoghton - on Thursday evening, just hours after the fatal collision.

But it was soon established that the railway line was still closed while Network Rail were running a ‘simulation’ as part of its investigation into the tragic crash earlier that day.

‘Very unnerving’

Drivers said they were left unnerved encountering the open level crossing as the signal lights flashed and the alarms sounded.

“Very unnerving,” said one motorist. “You would have thought someone would have been there to advise of this simulation test after today’s incident.”

Network Rail, who owns and manages the majority of the rail infrastructure in Britain, said it was unable to comment at this stage.

A spokesperson said: “We're working with British Transport Police and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) and they'll both need to finish their investigations for us to understand exactly what happened.”