A train driver has been killed and 89 people injured after two passenger trains collided near Bedford, a town approximately 95 kilometres north of London, on Friday afternoon. Of those injured, 11 people suffered very serious injuries, 22 were seriously injured, and 56 sustained minor injuries that were treated at the scene or in hospital. Emergency services, including multiple air ambulances and a hazardous incident team, worked through the night at the site south of the Elstow interchange, where the A421 and A6 roads meet. Police declared a major incident, and authorities urged the public to avoid local hospital emergency departments unless facing a genuine emergency.

The collision involved two East Midlands Railway services, both travelling south toward London St Pancras: the 4:40pm departure from Corby and the 3:50pm service from Nottingham. According to reports, one of the trains had halted on the track due to a fault when it was struck from behind by the other. One of the trains was the newly introduced East Midlands Railway Aurora, which entered service last year. All East Midlands Railway services to and from St Pancras were suspended for the remainder of Friday evening.

Passengers described a sudden, violent impact with no prior warning. Peter Knapp, 40, who was travelling in the front carriage of the rear train, told reporters: