Second probe into death of a van driver in a crash on Wigan to Southport railway line
British Transport Police and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch are carrying out separate investigations to determine the cause of the crash.
An investigation has started into a rail collision which claimed the life of a van driver.
British Transport Police officers were called to a level crossing in Burscough shortly after 3.20pm on Saturday, August 29 after reports a train had struck a van on the railway line running between Wigan and Southport.
Fifty-five-year-old Simon Gettings died when the supermarket delivery van he was driving was hit by a Northern train, travelling from Southport to Manchester.
Although an investigation by the British Transport Police (BTP) is ongoing, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) will carry out its own independent investigation.
Inquiries will determine what led to the crash, the actions of those involved and any other incidents at the crossing.
The collision resulted in two passengers on the train suffering minor injuries.
Dad-of-two Mr Gettings was described as having an “unmatched sense of humour, justice and humanity”. He had retired from teaching to spend more time with his family.
In a statement, his family said: “Simon’s tragic and untimely death has left an enormous void in the lives of all who knew and loved him. Words cannot fully express the pain of losing someone so deeply loved, but his memory will live on through his children, the love he gave so freely and the countless cherished moments his family shared with him.”
The crossing, off Martin Lane and Whitehouse Lane, is manually operated by people who use it.
The RAIB said it would publish its findings, along with any recommendations to make the crossing safer, on its website at a later date.