Report on collision between two trams at Storo in Oslo on 3 July 2021
Railway report 2022/05
On Saturday 3 July 2021, trams number 132 and 135 collided at Storokrysset junction in Oslo. Tram 132 was heading to Oslo city centre from Kjelsås, while tram 135 was heading from the city centre towards Kjelsås. The tram usually drives straight ahead towards Storokrysset, but there are tracks at the junction that are used by trams heading towards Grefsen station or the depot and workshop at Grefsen. The last tram to pass the points had been on its way to the workshop, and the points were therefore set to the left. When the driver was approaching the points, he missed to check for the correct position of the switch tongues. The NSIA has not identified any definite reason for this, but the driver had been involved in a collision with a car some days earlier, which might have had a bearing on the driver’s performance. The car traffic in the Storokrysset junction, which the driver perceived as demanding, also demanded reguired a lot of his attention.
The NSIA finds it unfortunate that a driver may have operated a tram without feeling or being fit to do so. This was not detected – not by the staffing manager, the head of section or by the driver himself. The NSIA understands the challenges involved in identifying issues and providing assistance following an incident if the driver does not ask for support. Based on the above, Sporveien Trikken should consider whether the undertaking has sufficient principles and processes in place to compensate for the human factor and identify such issues.
Following the collision on Saturday 3 July, it was proposed that the driver should be accompanied by an instructor on his first shifts after returning from holiday. Due to a failure of communication between heads of sections, the measure was not implemented.
The NSIA submits no safety recommendations following this investigation.
Photo: Sporveien Trikken AS
Published 05.07.2021
Facts
| Location | Storo, Oslo |
| Occurrence date | 03.07.2021 |
| Type of Transportation | Tram |
| Type of occurrence | Collision |
| Rolling Stock | Passenger Carriage |