Review into flood defences launched after train nearly derails close to Lowestoft
A Greater Anglia service had to be evacuated last month after hitting flood-damaged track
There is going to be a review of the flood defences surrounding a section of railway track near Lowestoft after a train narrowly avoided being derailed there last month.
The 07:25 Greater Anglia service from Norwich to Lowestoft had to be evacuated after getting stuck on track near Haddiscoe which had been washed out by floodwater.
Nobody was hurt during the incident, which happened at 7:45am on 30 January.
The supporting ballast under the track had been washed out by floodwaters which had flown from the Haddiscoe New Cut waterway over the track after bad weather.
The driver noticed standing water and just about managed to bring the four carriage train to a stop before it hit the damaged track.
However the front carriage sank forwards, leaving the driver unable to reverse away.
The track had to be closed for a week after the incident for repairs, leading to disruption for commuters heading between the Suffolk coast and Norwich.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB), the government agency which looks into safety issues on the UK's railways, is now going to look further into the incident.
Its investigation will look into the management of flood defences in the area, as well as early warning systems which may have told the train driver about issues with water on the track.
The RAIB is also going to examine whether Network Rail is keeping a record of things like flood defences, which may directly affect safety on the tracks.