A FORMER rail safety expert had highlighted the dangers of a crossing where a teenage girl died after being hit by a tram.
Lindsey Inger, 13, of Bulwell, died at the crossing near Bestwood Village on November 28.
The tragedy came almost four years after a woman and her grandson were killed at the same place.
Peter Rayner, former British Rail head of safety, inspected the crossing last year on behalf of a cyclist who survived being hit by a tram in 2003.
He set out his concerns to the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) in a series of letters between September 2011 and January this year.
In the first letter to ORR chief executive Richard Price, Mr Rayner concluded that "if action is not taken soon to improve the present situation another fatality will take place sooner rather than later.
"The present arrangements with a chicane, confusing signage, incorrectly placed gates and a lack of audio or visual warnings... presents a potentially dangerous situation."
Mr Rayner added: "These concerns are such that had this installation been drawn to our attention when we were in the final stage of our active railway careers and in charge of the operation and signalling of this stretch of railway, changes would have been made urgently."
In response, HM Inspector of Railways John Cullen said he had given a "good deal of consideration" to the concerns and had revisited the crossing.
Of a suggestion to install gates, Mr Cullen wrote: "We consider the gates at either side of the Network Rail crossing to be of acceptably similar design and size.
"However, I agree with your comment that safety on the crossing could be improved by moving the sanctuary gate and hence the decision point, closer to the running line.
"This will improve sighting for users to the north by removing the signal gantry as an obstacle. This will also shorten the length of the crossing.
"The absence of gates on the tram side of the crossing is in accordance with current tramway standards and guidance."
Sherwood MP Mark Spencer has called for changes at the crossing after receiving Mr Rayner's correspondence.
He has written to tram operators NET, the ORR, and the Health and Safety Executive asking for their thoughts.
Mr Spencer said: "My first reaction to a certain extent is one of disbelief.
"Clearly there was a recognition within the rail industry that this was bad. There had been correspondence 14 months earlier [before Lindsey's death] between the expert and regulators and yet we still find ourselves in the circumstances where someone else has been killed.
"It's my role to make sure we don't find ourselves back here in the future.
"I will be pressuring the rail authorities to come up with a feasible, realistic plan that's going to stop this from happening.
"It needs some form of gate or audible warning when trams are coming."
Lindsey's death has also led her family and neighbours to call for a safety review.
A public meeting to discuss the crossing will be held tomorrow at the community centre next door to Bestwood Miners' Welfare Club, Park Road, from 6.30pm.
