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Nine days after the crash where seven people died in Berkshire when the high speed First Great Western London to Plymouth service ploughed into a car on a level crossing, a Central Trains Lincoln to Peterbourgh commuter service has struck a level crossing gate which was in the wrong position. This time there were no fatalities, and the train was not derailed.

CREDIT: BBC News

The Berkshire crash, where all seven carriages were derailed
After the Potters Bar crash in 2002, the rail network more or less ground to a halt after speed restrictions were imposed due to safety fears. But like anyone who routinely uses the railways, I've noticed that recently things were actually starting to get better.

We were actually on our way back towards a working rail network again. But with two similar accidents so close together we're in danger of it all happening again. The question that surely has to be asked is why doesn't the government give the rail network the cash it so obviously needs to resolve the problems? What happened to an integrated transport policy?