The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has conducted a preliminary examination into a near miss between a van and a passenger train near Millbrook in Bedfordshire.

The incident occurred at around 23:34 on Thursday, 25th September 2025, when a passenger train, travelling at 108 mph (174 km/h), had a near-miss with a van, which railway staff had reversed onto the tracks at an access point near Millbrook.

The railway staff involved in the incident were scheduled to carry out work on the Up and Down Slow lines at the site of the near miss.

The lines had been blocked to rail traffic, but the railway staff mistakenly accessed the railway next to the Up and Down Fast lines, and these were still open to normal train services.

When the near miss occurred, the van was positioned on the Down Fast line, but the rear of the van was near the Up Fast line on which the train was travelling.

Fortunately, no injuries were suffered by personnel during the incident, nor was there any damage caused to the van.

Having undertaken its preliminary examination into the circumstances surrounding the incident, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch assessed the available evidence and will publish a safety digest on its website in the next few weeks.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch is currently investigating several near misses that have happened in recent months, including one last month at London Bridge Station, and another in April involving three track workers at Bookham in Surrey.