Investigations are continuing after a lorry driver died after being run over by his own trailer outside Reading railway station.

The 69-year-old was on the service road behind the Apex Plaza building, just before midnight last Sunday, when the accident happened.

Police believe the man, from Redhill, Surrey, was coupling his tractor unit to a trailer.

An inspector from the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is looking into the incident as the driver was working for a Network Rail contractor on a site which gives access to railway land.

The man was an employee of Croydon-based Tone Scaffolding, a sub-contractor for Costain which is working for Network Rail on the £850 million redevelopment of Reading station and the surrounding rail network.

Sergeant Jim Upton, of the road death investigation team at Three Mile Cross, said: “Our investigation is at an early stage and we have yet to establish the full circumstances.

“However, we believe the lorry rolled forward while the driver was coupling the trailer to the tractor unit and that he was struck by his lorry as he attempted to get back into the cab.

“The driver was taken to Royal Berkshire Hospital, but sadly died.”

Julian Burnell, communications manager for Network Rail, said construction workers and British Transport Police alerted emergency services.

He said: “As Thames Valley Police have designated the incident as a road traffic accident we have no direct jurisdiction, but we are co-operating with the relevant agencies.”

Mr Burnell added: “One individual was fatally injured in the incident and we would express our sincere sympathy to his relatives.”

A spokesperson for ORR said an inspector was working with the police, Network Rail and contractors to ascertain the causes of the incident.

Sarah Welsby, from Tone Scaffolding, said on Monday: “Our sympathies are with the family, who we have been out to see today.”

Via: getreading.co.uk & vertikal.net