Bedford train collision latest: Driver killed and more than 80 injured after horror crash during rush hour

If you’re just waking up, here’s everything we know about the Bedford train crash as of Saturday morning.

• Two East Midlands Railway (EMR) services suffered a fatal collision on Friday, with one smashing into the back of the other on the same line near Bedford, shortly after 5pm.
• A train driver was killed and dozens of others were seriously injured when two passenger trains collided near Bedford.
• East of England Ambulance Service has confirmed that 11 people suffered “very serious” injuries, 22 were seriously injured, and a further 56 people had minor injuries.
• Air ambulance helicopters attended the scene after the collision just south of the Elstow interchange between the A421 and the A6.
• All patients with the most serious injuries have all now been taken to hospital. A further 56 people sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene or in hospital.
• The two trains involved were operating the 4.40pm departure from Corby and the 3.50pm departure from Nottingham, both to London St Pancras.
• 40-year-old passenger Pete Knapp said: “There was a moment of being flung into the chair in front, and then I saw smoke. People were crying, screaming, people were so scared and confused.”
• Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said the crash was “hugely concerning” and that he is “grateful to the emergency services for their swift response to this tragic incident”.

East of England Ambulance Service has confirmed that 11 people suffered “very serious” injuries, 22 were seriously injured, and a further 56 people had minor injuries.

In a statement, the service said: “The East of England Ambulance Service was called to a collision involving two trains at Elstow, near Bedford, at around 5:15pm.

“We quickly declared a Major Incident and put our emergency response plans into action.

“We sent a large number of resources to the scene, including more than 20 ambulances, specialist Hazardous Area Response Teams, and six air ambulances.

All patients with the most serious injuries have now been taken from the scene to hospital.

“Sadly, one person died at the scene. A further 11 people suffered very serious injuries, 22 were seriously injured, and a further 56 people had minor injuries. Those with minor injuries were treated at the scene or taken to hospital where needed.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected, and we thank all emergency service colleagues for their swift response.”

The train crash outside Bedford appears to have been a “relatively slow speed collision”, a rail expert has said.

Tony Miles told Sky News the damage to the trains looked “fairly minimal”.

He said: “Obviously it’s a rear end collision, they were going in the same direction, so one of them, the rear one was going faster than the one it’s caught up with, for some reason. That’s not a complicated assumption.

“So, the question has to be how has that train that’s in the rear got into contact with the train that it was following, and obviously it’s either gone past the signal that was telling it it should stop, or the signal was faulty, or the driver’s made a mistake in some way, or didn’t read the signal, or something.

“Over the years, all of those different scenarios have happened, and it’s now a question of finding out why did one train catch up with the train that was in front of it, that was obviously going more slowly. Whether it was stopped. I don’t know, but I say from the collision damage it looked like a relatively low speed collision.

“So either the train in the rear was already slowing down or they were both going fairly slowly, and something’s happened, but it’s not a high speed crash, certainly from the damage.”

He added: “Even if you’re going 40 miles an hour and you come to a halt in a few meters, you’ve got the energy of a 40-mile-an-hour body in you, and you’re going to move until you hit something, unfortunately. So, even relatively low speed collisions can be dangerous for people that are on board.”

In a statement, Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward said: “I’m shocked and concerned to hear that two East Midlands Railway Trains, one of which serves our region, have collided near Bedford this afternoon.

“My thoughts are with any impacted passengers and staff members aboard and I’d like to express my sincere thanks to the emergency services for their fast response.

“The Department for Transport is working with our emergency services, Network Rail and East Midlands Railway to ensure passengers and railway staff members are supported in the best way possible.

“Please avoid sharing unconfirmed reports until we hear officially from the emergency services or one of the agencies who run these services.”

Ministers and local politicians have said the crash is “very concerning” as they shared their condolences with those affected.

In a statement on X, Sir Keir Starmer said: “Hugely concerning reports of a collision involving two passenger trains near Bedford.

“First and foremost, my thoughts are with the family of the person who has sadly lost their life, and with those who have been seriously injured.

“I am grateful to the emergency services for their swift response to this tragic incident.”

Heidi Alexander said she was “deeply concerned” by reports of a collision between two passenger trains in Bedfordshire.

In a post on X, the transport secretary said: “I’m deeply concerned to hear reports of the collision involving 2 East Midlands Railway passenger trains.

“I’m grateful to emergency services who are on the scene, attending to those affected.

“We’re working quickly with the rail industry and local partners to support passengers.”

Early on Friday evening Bedford and Kempston MP Mohammad Yasin told The Telegraph: “I am very concerned by the early reports of an incident this evening just outside Bedford and Kempston, involving two Midland Mainline trains travelling towards London.

“My thoughts are with everyone involved, their families, and all those who may be affected.

“I want to thank the emergency services and railway staff who are responding to the incident.”

A witness described how people were “crying and screaming” following a train crash near Bedford on Friday.

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue crews attended the scene just south of Bedford, with police confirming that two trains collided in the area.

Aerial footage of the aftermath shows two damaged East Midlands Railway (EMR) trains with most carriages on the tracks but at least one shunted off.

Footage shows a long line of emergency vehicles on a rural road as emergency crews and passengers gathered in the neighbouring field.

Eyewitness, Dr Pete Knapp, 40, said: “There was a moment of being flung into the chair in front, and then I saw smoke. People were crying, screaming, people were so scared and confused.

“I got up and I saw a lot of people who were unable to speak, had broken legs, and then I managed to get out of the train and because I’m quite thin I was able to squeeze out through the gap in the doors.”

One person has died and dozens others have been injured after two passenger trains collided near Bedford on Friday afternoon.

Here’s what we don’t yet know:

• Why the crash happened – investigators are on the scene but we don’t yet know what caused this afternoon’s crash

• Who has died – police conffirmed one person has died in the collision, but their identity and whether they were a staff member or a passenger has not yet been confirmed