LUDLOW's Conservative spokesman Philip Dunne has called for unmanned level crossings to be made safer after his experience as a passenger on a train involved in a fatal crash.

He was, like the Bishop of Hereford, on the 7.03am train from Hereford that collided with a minibus near Evesham on Monday morning. Three people in the minibus died on the scene.

"Quite how the van managed to get on to the tracks will obviously the a subject of the investigation," said Mr Dunne. "Given the record of rail safety in recent years, it is vital that unmanned crossings are made as foolproof as possible with automated gates being closed when trains are approaching. This tragedy cannot be allowed to happen again."

Among the passengers on the same train was also journalist Anthony Howard, whose chat with former cabinet minister Lord Heseltine was a sell out at the Ludlow Festival.

Mr Dunne said: "The train driver braked but had no chance to avoid the van. Passengers heard a metallic clunk and the first carriage had a window shattered. The train came to a halt in an orderly fashion. Thank goodness no one on the train was hurt as the seats facing the shattered window were empty."

He was full of praise for the way First Great Western staff handled the situation. The train was halted for three hours as investigators began their work. Mr Dunne and other passengers were transferred to another train and he eventually arrived in London five and a half hours late.