Four current and former tram drivers have admitted to falling asleep while operating trams, this comes after seven people tragically died after a tram derailed in November 2016.

In the latest interim report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, it was suggested that the tram was speeding and the driver may have “lost awareness”.

A safety device, known as “a dead man’s handle”, failed to activate and stop their trams

The report also found that the tram had no emergency braking, and was travelling at 46mph before it crashed in a 13mph zone, near Sandilands Junction.

Konrad Turner, a former tram driver, who retired last year after driving trams in Croydon for 16 years, said he woke up 10 metres after passing the line’s George Street stop. He said: “A person was very fortunate that I didn’t run them over.”

Mr Turner said that the tram driver’s safety device – which is used on different types of tram across the UK and Europe – failed to work.

Drivers have to apply 1.5lb of pressure on a lever and push it forward for the tram to accelerate.

If this pressure is not maintained, a safety device inside the lever should activate, sounding an alarm and then applying an emergency brake.

It has  not been suggested that a problem with this device was responsible for the derailment at Sandilands.

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