THE CROSSING where a woman died after being hit by a train had a near miss earlier this year.

Network Rail, which operates the line crossed by a footpath linking Woodgrange Close and Pilgrims Close, has said it regularly carried out routine inspections of the non-signalled crossing and did so most recently last week.

But a spokesman also revealed there had been two incidents of misuse of the gated crossing, including one near-miss, in the past 12 months.

The close shave was reported by a driver who saw someone step out in front of a train and then step back again before it went past. The spokesman added 170 trains passed over the crossing every day, travelling at speeds as fast as 75mph.

She said: “As part of Network Rail’s commitment to providing a safe and reliable railway, inspections are regularly carried out at level crossings across the country.

“In addition to this process, each level crossing is subject to a robust risk assessment.”

British Transport Police are still investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of the woman on Wednesday.