Near miss between train and lorry after M2 crash
The lorry broke through a metal fence between the motorway and railway land
16:22, 16 Apr 2026
View ImageThe HGV lorry broke through a metal fence between the M2 motorway and railway land(Image: NI Railways)
A near miss between a train and a lorry that crashed on the M2 has led to an investigation being launched. The Royal Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) are formally investigating after the incident on March 20, 2026.
At around 4.40pm, a heavy goods vehicle which was travelling along the northbound carriageway of the M2 motorway in Belfast was involved in a crash with another vehicle near York Street Station[1]. This resulted in the HGV leaving the motorway, and colliding with a containment barrier.
The Belfast to Derry[2] railway line runs parallel to the motorway, and the containment barrier forms part of the fencing between the motorway and railway.
A picture from the scene shows the HGV having broken through the metal fence between the motorway and railway land.
The barrier did not prevent the HGV leaving the motorway and it was able to enter the railway, where it came to rest in the cess just clear of passing trains. Soon after this happened, a passenger train, identified as the 3:51pm train service from Larne Town to Belfast, approached the location.
The driver of the train saw the lorry ahead and applied the train's brakes, passing the HGV at around 16mph. The train did not strike any part of the HGV, and after stopping at nearby York Street Station, the driver informed the signaller of the incident.
The HGV driver was injured in the initial crash, while damage was also reported to the lorry, roadside barriers, fencing, and railway infrastructure.
Shortly after the incident, disruption was reported across road and rail networks.
Emergency services attended the scene, while rail operator Translink[5] said services between York Street and Whiteabbey were suspended due to an obstruction on the line.
The RAIB is an independent government organisation in the UK that investigates accidents and serious incidents on the railway to improve overall safety.
They said their investigation into this incident will seek to identify the sequence of events which led to the incident.
It will also look at the management of road vehicle incursion risk at this location, including the type of containment in use.
Article continues belowAdditionally, the investigation will consider the strategy for controlling the risk of road vehicle incursions onto the railway in Northern Ireland[6], and any relevant underlying management factors.
The organisation said its inquiry is independent of any investigations by the rail industry or the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland.
A full report, including safety recommendations, will be published once the investigation concludes.
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References
- ^ York Street Station (www.belfastlive.co.uk)
- ^ Derry (www.belfastlive.co.uk)
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- ^ Popular Belfast City Centre bar and music venue reveal plans for expansion (www.belfastlive.co.uk)
- ^ Translink (www.belfastlive.co.uk)
- ^ Northern Ireland (www.belfastlive.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.belfastlive.co.uk)
- ^ sign up to our daily newsletter (www.belfastlive.co.uk)