This is the heart-stopping moment a high speed train on the West Coast main line narrowly avoided hitting a man on a level crossing. CCTV footage of the terrifying near miss has been released by Avanti West Coast and Network Rail as part of a safety campaign.
The clip shows the man skipping out of the way at the very last second as the train came within just a few feet of ploughing into him. Network Rail say the man ignored a red warning light, meaning the crossing was unsafe to use.
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The footage was recorded from inside the driver's cab near Runcorn in Cheshire, before the London Euston to Glasgow service was forced to come to an emergency stop. The maximum speed for trains on this section of line is 125mph.
Senior railway staff say the incident at 10.43am on January 18 is one of the closest near misses they've seen. Lucy Jordan, Network Rail’s North West head of safety, said: "When I see footage like this it always make my heart stop.
"The difference of just a few seconds could have led to tragedy for this man and I can't downplay the danger he was in. It's important for Network Rail to share this video as a strong warning to others and to remind them of our level crossing rules.
"No matter how well you think you know a crossing, all users must obey the signage in place and if there are warning lights, always stop when they display red, it just isn't worth the risk."
Dave Whitehouse, Avanti West Coast safety and security director, said: "This footage serves as a stark reminder to be aware of your surroundings near the railways whether it's at a level crossing or at a station. Although the man involved escaped serious injury, this shows it's only takes a split second to make the wrong decision for it to end in tragedy."
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