Croydon Tram Crash

[All Line Rover]

What an utterly ridiculous comment...

It was the lead story on BBC Radio London's news bulletin at Noon.

Of course! How could I forget. BBC Radio London. The nation's favourite source of news media.

I don't wish to sidetrack this thread, which should focus on the incident itself, but I don't believe that taking more than six hours to acknowledge the first tram accident resulting in fatalities since 1959 (according to BBC News at 12:30) is acceptable.

 

[FGW_Lad]

What an utterly ridiculous comment...

It was the lead story on BBC Radio London's news bulletin at Noon.

It has also been the lead story on Heart FM all morning. Can't comment on the BBC though.

 

[All Line Rover]

Although, this was being shared earlier today.

It's been the most read story on the BBC News website ever since news broke about loss of life, so it is hardly of interest only to Londoners.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Sky reporting on Twitter that the driver of the tram has been arrested.

 

[transmanche]

Of course! How could I forget. BBC Radio London. The nation's favourite source of news media.

You were the one who claimed that the BBC were 'insulting' those involved in the incident by not covering the story - clearly they are covering it as the main story in the relevant region.

The BBC News Channel is not the only source of News from the BBC, especially when they are running a special US Election programme and not their normal rolling news service.

Back on topic. LBC London News are reporting (12:55) that the tram driver has been arrested by BTP.

 

[Saint66]

BTP have confirmed an arrest. No other details provided by them yet.

 

[infobleep]

I don't know about TV but there have been regular updates on LBC radio.

Not since I've been listening there wasn't but may be there was earlier. I see the driver has been arrested according to the live updates on BBC London but significantly there has been no mention of that point in the 1pm news on Five Live, although the news did mention it.

They say at least 1 person has died. BBC Live online updates say several people.

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[westcoaster]

Sky reporting on Twitter that the driver of the tram has been arrested.

I would guess it is standard procedure at this stage, due to the fatal nature of the accident.

 

[snowball]

The driver has been arrested according to BBC TV news.

 

[Ianno87]

One point seemingly being discussed this morning was maybe the driver was expecting daylight after the 400m tunnel - maybe start braking when in sight of the end. Somewhat doubtful - it's hardly a lengthy tunnel.

I don't wish to speculate, but the speed trams can safely reach through the tunnel after leaving Lloyd Park is not to be underestimated.

 

[Antman]

The driver has been arrested according to BBC TV news.

I don't think that is particularly significant and certainly shouldn't be taken as a sign of guilt.

 

[Deepgreen]

The homepage is only visible to (and accessible by) UK visitors. It needn't account for worldwide visitors. There is a separate website for international visitors.
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This is the first rail incident involving loss of life in about a decade, is it not? If there haven't been any other accidents resulting in fatalities on light rail in recent years, the UK will have to confine its "clean safety record" to heavy rail only, which is undoubtedly significant. The UK should have a clean safety record across all forms of rail transport.

No, very far from it, unfortunately. However, if you mean light rail/tram involving passengers' lives lost in a vehicle accident, yes, I believe so.

 

[Taunton]

Unless there's some directly significant aspect, such as drunkenness, I find the new trend to arrest rail drivers, or others associated, following an accident, to be completely unacceptable. I wonder what crime they have been arrested for. It seems to be associated with some sort of "we got there first" turf war between BTP, the Met, the RAIB, and a DfT need to show the media that "something must be done".

 

[Antman]

I don't wish to speculate, but the speed trams can safely reach through the tunnel after leaving Lloyd Park is not to be underestimated.

Indeed and I suspect that and poor rail conditions are the reason although obviously best to speculate further.

 

[physics34]

Unless there's some directly significant aspect, such as drunkenness, I find the new trend to arrest rail drivers, or others associated, following an accident, to be completely unacceptable. I wonder what crime they have been arrested for. It seems to be associated with some sort of "we got there first" turf war between BTP, the Met, the RAIB, and a DfT need to show the media that "something must be done".

Will initially be screened for drugs and alcohol.

 

[plannerman]

Unless there's some directly significant aspect, such as drunkenness, I find the new trend to arrest rail drivers, or others associated, following an accident, to be completely unacceptable. I wonder what crime they have been arrested for. It seems to be associated with some sort of "we got there first" turf war between BTP, the Met, the RAIB, and a DfT need to show the media that "something must be done".

Is it a new trend? Certainly in road haulage it's fairly standard practice to arrest the driver and seize the vehicle, even when it appears clearly that blame lies elsewhere. It's usually justified by police wanting to get the driver's statements taken before he can get a chance to maybe collude with others and amend his story.

 

[Antman]

No, very far from it, unfortunately. However, if you mean light rail/tram involving passengers' lives lost in a vehicle accident, yes, I believe so.

There was a bus passenger killed in a bus/tram accident a few years ago in Croydon although the bus driver was to blame .
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Is it a new trend? Certainly in road haulage it's fairly standard practice to arrest the driver and seize the vehicle, even when it appears clearly that blame lies elsewhere. It's usually justified by police wanting to get the driver's statements taken before he can get a chance to maybe collude with others and amend his story.

Yes I think that is the reason, unfortunately some people automatically associate arrest with guilt.

 

[transmanche]

Unless there's some directly significant aspect, such as drunkenness, I find the new trend to arrest rail drivers, or others associated, following an accident, to be completely unacceptable.

Since the Serious and Organised Crime Act 2005 came into force, this seems to be pretty standard and not just confined to the railways.

That Act abolished the concept of an arrestable offence and 'simplified' the rules regarding powers of arrest. Police can now arrest a person "to allow the prompt and effective investigation of the offence". So nowadays it is normal for people to be arrested after an incident, whereas in the old days it might just be reported that they "were helping Police with their enquiries".

Obviously, this is over-simplified and there are a number of rules.

 

[PermitToTravel]

I think it's done a lot so as to have a video-taped interview, rather than a roadside/lineside one with only handmade notes.

 

[45669]

I don't wish to speculate, but the speed trams can safely reach through the tunnel after leaving Lloyd Park is not to be underestimated.

I'm a bit confused as South London has always been somewhat of a mystery to me. Was the tram approaching the junction from the north or the south?

I was under the impression that it was approaching from the north, but looking at Google Maps Lloyd Park is to the south.

 

[infobleep]

5 people died. Five Live just interviewed a Corydon MP. Sorry don't remember his name.

LBC News channel also provided some updates too.


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[Ianno87]

I'm a bit confused as South London has always been somewhat of a mystery to me. Was the tram approaching the junction from the north or the south?

I was under the impression that it was approaching from the north, but looking at Google Maps Lloyd Park is to the south.

I was referring back to someone who referred to the 400m tunnel.

Don't think anything official has been put out yet as to which way the tram was approaching.

 

[Antman]

5 people died. Five Live just interviewed a Corydon MP. Sorry don't remember his name.

LBC News channel also provided some updates too.


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Terrible news and my thoughts go out to all concerned, I use Tramlink regularly.

 

[Llanigraham]

Is it a new trend? Certainly in road haulage it's fairly standard practice to arrest the driver and seize the vehicle, even when it appears clearly that blame lies elsewhere. It's usually justified by police wanting to get the driver's statements taken before he can get a chance to maybe collude with others and amend his story.

No it isn't a new trend. Railway workers of all types have invariably been arrested following incidents were there could be blame attached to them, as signallers know all too well.
(Moreton-on-Lugg for example!)
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Unless there's some directly significant aspect, such as drunkenness, I find the new trend to arrest rail drivers, or others associated, following an accident, to be completely unacceptable. I wonder what crime they have been arrested for. It seems to be associated with some sort of "we got there first" turf war between BTP, the Met, the RAIB, and a DfT need to show the media that "something must be done".

Rubbish!! :roll:

 

[Bromley boy]

I'm a bit confused as South London has always been somewhat of a mystery to me. Was the tram approaching the junction from the north or the south?

I was under the impression that it was approaching from the north, but looking at Google Maps Lloyd Park is to the south.

Knowing the route very well, it would have been travelling towards Croydon. Trams travelling away from Croydon don't get much speed up after leaving sandilands before slowing to negotiate the curve where the accident happened.

 

[AlterEgo]

Although, this was being shared earlier today.

Those are the most read articles. They aren't what the BBC rank as important, they're what the readers read most.
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Unless there's some directly significant aspect, such as drunkenness, I find the new trend to arrest rail drivers, or others associated, following an accident, to be completely unacceptable. I wonder what crime they have been arrested for. It seems to be associated with some sort of "we got there first" turf war between BTP, the Met, the RAIB, and a DfT need to show the media that "something must be done".

You get arrested if there is reasonable suspicion for a police officer to think you've committed a crime.

Wait and see what comes out. If there is no evidence, he will of course be released. We don't know what's caused this yet.

 

[infobleep]

Those are the most read articles. They aren't what the BBC rank as important, they're what the readers read most.

You'd think what the readers share most or read most, might influence how much coverage the BBC devote to something.

However I guess the BBC had planned lots of resources into the Trump coverage and didn't wish to change that.

Whya would they have done had the Queen passed away? The wouldn't have been able to ignore that until after 12pm.

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[2HAP]

I've put my complaint in to BBC Newswatch re the lack of coverage.

 

[Deepgreen]

Knowing the route very well, it would have been travelling towards Croydon. Trams travelling away from Croydon don't get much speed up after leaving sandilands before slowing to negotiate the curve where the accident happened.

From the aerial photos I have seen I would have guessed that it had been heading away from Sandilands, but I may be being misled by the angle at which it is lying. Of course, we can't assume that it had actually stopped at Sandilands if it had come from that direction and could have been travelling at quite a high speed if it had not stopped there.

 

[AlterEgo]

You'd think what the readers share most or read most, might influence how much coverage the BBC devote to something.

However I guess the BBC had planned lots of resources into the Trump coverage and didn't wish to change that.

Whya would they have done had the Queen passed away? The wouldn't have been able to ignore that until after 12pm.

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I don't think we can equate a tram crash to the head of state dying.

Ultimately, unusual as they are, a tram crash is not as sexy or visually gratifying as a train crash, regardless of the number of deaths.