Inquiry call into rail crash

The accident happened at a level crossing

Two Welsh MPs are calling for a full inquiry to discover how a car collided with a train on a level crossing at Porthmadog in north Wales killing a motorist.

Andrew Deakin, 24, from Rhyl, died at the scene of the accident.

Plaid Cymru MPs Dafydd Wigley and Elfyn Llwyd are calling for the inquiry.

The accident happened at around 1000 BST on Monday when the 0942 train from Pwllheli to Machynlleth crashed into the car, trapping the driver.

Fire crews used specialist lifting gear to free the man from the wreckage of the car, but he died at the scene of the accident.

Helen Mary Jones AM: Call for review of safety

The driver of the train and 20 passengers on board were uninjured in the crash.

Railtrack has confirmed there is no barrier at the crossing at Traeth Mawr Road, which is a single-track line.

There are warning lights and a siren at the crossing, but as the road crossing the line is a minor one Railtrack said there was no need for further protection.

A spokesman for Railtrack said this was in accordance with Health and Safety requirements which calculated the need for barriers in accordance with the amount of traffic crossing the line.

But the Plaid Cymru AM Helen Mary Jones has called on Railtrack to review the basis on which they decide to use barriers at crossings.

"You can't rule out human error but what you can do is look to the side of safety," said Ms Jones.

"This is something it has been more and more difficult for Railtrack to do since privatisation," she added.