Road vehicle incursion at York Street, Belfast
On 20 March 2026 near York Street in Belfast, a heavy goods vehicle collided on the northbound M2, left the carriageway and struck a containment barrier before entering the railway cess adjacent to the line. Shortly after, train B749, the 15:51 service from Larne Town to Belfast, approached, saw the HGV and braked to about 16 mph, narrowly avoiding a collision and stopping at York Street station. The HGV driver was injured in the initial road crash, and the incursion caused damage to the HGV, the containment barrier and fencing, and railway infrastructure. An independent investigation will determine the sequence of events, assess road-vehicle incursion risk management at this location, containment strategies, and underlying management factors, with findings and recommendations published on the government website.
Investigation into a near miss between a train and a heavy goods vehicle near York Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 20 March 2026.
At around 16:40 on 20 March 2026, a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) travelling along the northbound carriageway of the M2 motorway in Belfast, Northern Ireland, was involved in a collision with another road vehicle. This collision resulted in the HGV leaving the carriageway and colliding with a containment barrier at the edge of the motorway.
At this location, the Belfast to Derry-Londonderry railway line runs parallel to the M2 motorway and the containment barrier forms part of the separation fencing between the motorway and the railway. The containment barrier did not prevent the HGV from leaving the carriageway and it was able to enter the railway, where it came to rest in the cess adjacent to the up line, just clear of passing trains.
Shortly after this occurred, train B749, the 15:51 service from Larne Town to Belfast, approached this location. The driver of the train saw the HGV ahead and applied the train’s brakes, passing the HGV at approximately 16 mph (26 km/h). The train did not strike any part of the HGV, and stopped at York Street station, where the driver informed the signaller of the incident.
The driver of the HGV was injured in the initial road traffic collision. The subsequent incursion onto the railway caused damage to the HGV, the containment barrier and fencing, and to railway infrastructure.
Our investigation will seek to identify the sequence of events which led to the incident. It will also consider:
- the management of road vehicle incursion risk at this location, including the type of containment in use
- the strategy for controlling the risk of road vehicle incursions onto the railway in Northern Ireland
- any relevant underlying management factors.
Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry or by the Heath and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland.
We will publish our findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of our investigation. This report will be available on our website.
You can subscribe to automated emails notifying you when we publish our reports.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/road-vehicle-incursion-at-york-street-belfast
