A seaside town in east Kent, with a 19th-century pedigree and a 40,000-strong population.
RAIB finds a green light at a private, user-operated level crossing misled a driver into entering the crossing, causing a fatal crash with a train. Investigations call for design reviews, better training, and safety guidance for professional drivers. Changes to site layout and driver toolkits have been implemented; another fatality is under investigation.
England and Wales have seen a rise in drug-related harms, with cocaine overtaking heroin as a leading cause of drug-poisoning deaths. While overall deaths have fallen slightly, regional inequalities persist, and ketamine harms are rising. A comprehensive, well-funded strategy that links treatment, prevention and enforcement remains essential.