An investigation into the Croydon tram crash has found the driver did not apply the emergency break and that he may have “lost awareness”.

Seven people were killed, and another 51 injured, when the tram derailed near Sandilands on the morning of November 9.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) today, Monday February 20, published its second interim report following the crash.

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Where the incident occured 

And new findings show the driver did not use the emergency brake, which suggests he lost awareness when approaching the tight left-hand bend.

The report reads: "Analysis of the tram’s OTDR [on-tram data recorder] indicates that the service brake was not applied until around 2 and a half seconds before the tram reached the 20 km/h speed restriction sign.

“The tram’s speed had reduced from 49 mph to 46 mph by the time the tram passed the sign. The hazard brake was not used.”

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The RAIB has not found any malfunction of the tram’s braking system, through ongoing examination of the OTDR.

An initial report, published on November 16, found that the tram was travelling at three and a half times the speed limit as it approached the bend.

But the tram was actually travelling at almost four times the speed limit, investigators now believe.

The speed limit sign would only be visible to drivers between 60 and 90 metres away, with headlights on. The tram was travelling in the hours of darkness, with heavy rain falling.

The sign becomes readable in clear conditions up to 120 metres beyond the point where a regular full brake must start to reduce the speed from 50mph to 13mph, the RAIB said.

It added: “At the time of the accident the readability of the speed restriction sign is likely to have been adversely affected by heavy rain.

“There was no sign to indicate to drivers where they should begin to apply the brake for the Sandilands curve; they were expected to know this from their knowledge of the route.”

The full report is expected to be published later this year.