A woman and a young child were caught on camera brazenly dashing across a level crossing in Derbyshire as warning lights flashed and barriers began to close, prompting Network Rail to issue an urgent safety plea.
Incident at Tutbury and Hatton Station
The alarming incident occurred at Tutbury and Hatton Station on the Derbyshire-Staffordshire border at 3:22 pm on Saturday, April 25. Trainspotter Brandon Roberts, who recorded the footage, said he was left in "disbelief" as he watched the pair duck under the closing barriers and sprint across the tracks.
The video shows a smiling woman wearing sunglasses leading a young boy in a cap across the railway line just as the barriers started to lower. They appeared to follow a man in a brown shirt who had already crossed safely ahead of them. The footage was later posted on Facebook, attracting widespread criticism.
Network Rail's urgent warning
A Network Rail spokesperson commented: "This kind of behaviour is deeply concerning and could have had tragic consequences. Level crossing barriers and warning lights are there for good reason. Ignoring them not only endangers those taking this action, but also puts train passengers, railway staff and other members of the public at risk too." The spokesperson added: "One poor decision can change lives forever."
The public response on social media was swift and critical. One user remarked: "This is why we have incidents on the railway; people need to respect level crossings." Another highlighted the dangers: "UK trains travel at over 100mph; if they had tripped on the rail lines, they would both be dead." A third user noted: "You just have to sit at it, not risk being knocked out by the barrier!"
'No Second Chances' campaign
The shocking video coincides with Network Rail's launch of its new 'No Second Chances' campaign, urging the public to exercise caution at level crossings. The network has partnered with British Transport Police and the wider rail community following research revealing that a concerning proportion of the British population is overconfident at rail crossings.
Nationally, the study found that more than eight in ten people (84 percent) claim to understand the dangers around level crossings, yet 97 percent are unaware that a train travelling at 80mph can take a full mile to come to a complete emergency stop. This distance increases for trains on the East Coast Main Line, which can reach speeds of 100mph and above. In the last five years, 121 near misses involving trains and pedestrians have been documented on that line, with 27 incidents recorded in the year up to March 2026.
Network Rail's campaign aims to educate the public on the potential tragic consequences of ignoring level crossing safety measures, emphasising that a momentary lapse in judgment can lead to life-altering outcomes.
