LAST Tuesday was a difficult one for rail passengers and staff alike as tragedy struck Atherton.

As The Bolton News reported on Wednesday, a man died after being hit by a train during the morning rush hour on the line between Atherton and Walkden.

While it is too early to speculate on what led to such an awful incident, it is a reminder of the horrific things that can occur on the railway and at stations.

I recently read the heartbreaking story of 20-year-old Becky Tait who, according to a coroner carrying out an inquest into her death, killed herself at the same spot on a Staffordshire train line where her boyfriend had been killed two months earlier.

The ordeal must have been unspeakably dreadful for Becky's family, and also for the train driver and emergency workers who are tasked with handling the aftermath.

Then there are the incidents that occur by accident, which are thankfully rare.

Rail bosses are trying to reduce them further and I was particularly impressed last week when I read a report about Network Rail plans to get rid of a level crossing in Kearsley and replace it with a bridge crossing nearby.

The report lists, in detail, how Network Rail officers set about considering options to eradicate safety hazards and what would work and what would not.

Alarmingly, there was a line which detailed three 'near misses' — all in August 2013.

In one of the incidents, a youth was seen crossing the track directly in front of an approaching train and in another, a man was seen deliberately waiting for the train to get as near as possible before moving out of the way at the last minute.

It is great to see those in charge doing what they can to reduce these kind of incidents and I am relieved that no one came to harm on these three occasions.