THIS is the moment passengers look on in horror as a freight train closes in on their bus.

Danger lights are clearly flashing, warning sirens are wailing – but remarkably the bus driver appears to ignore them as he sits in a queue of traffic, straddling the railway tracks.

The number 11 City Red bus becomes marooned across the hatched yellow box and fails to move, despite the train driver repeatedly sounding his horn as he makes his way from Southampton’s docks.

The train driver is then forced to hit the brakes and the goods train grinds to a halt just feet away as alarmed passengers look on helplessly from their seats at the back of the bus.

The drama unfolded in Canute Road in Southampton and is now at the centre of an investigation by bosses from First UK Bus, who run the service, and British Transport Police.

But the incredible “near miss” – captured on camera by teenager Bradley Hurrion from Hythe.

Bradley, 17, captured the footage above, on his mobile phone.

He said: “It is quite alarming. I was just wondering whether the bus was going to stop and was worried for the welfare of the passengers.”

The young rail enthusiast also captured on film another close shave at a Hampshire level crossing.

On that occasion a cyclist in Frost Lane, Hythe, can be seen narrowly missing a falling barrier coming down to allow a fuel train leaving Fawley oil refinery pass by. See video below.

British Transport Police say it’s incidents like these, when motorists and pedestrians risk their lives on a daily basis, which have triggered their new safety campaign called Operation Look.

In a bid to raise more awareness of railway dangers, extra patrols are also under way at crossings throughout Hampshire.

South West Trains said between April 1 2013 and March 31 this year, eight motorists were charged or summonsed for crossing misuse, with a further 69 issued with fixed penalty notices, and 22 cautioned for traffic offences.

A further 290 drivers were sent on safety-awareness courses.

Inspector Becky Warren said: “It is important people realise there is a serious penalty to pay for crossing-misuse.

“However, while we will not hesitate to use the force of the law, we are also acutely aware of the need to promote safety at crossings through education.

“We need drivers and pedestrians to realise level crossing misuse is a danger, not only to their safety, but the safety of others.”

BTP and Network Rail confirmed they are both investigating the incident in Canute Road.

Bus chiefs launch full investigation

BUS chiefs today said a full investigation had been launched as they admitted their vehicle should never have entered the boxed junction at the level crossing.

A spokesman told the Daily Echo that the fact a driver had entered the area without being able to clear it immediately, as the Highway Code insists, was something “of concern to us”.

A statement said: “We are extremely concerned at what we have seen on this footage.

“We have launched an immediate investigation into what happened. Safety is one of our highest priorities.

“While thankfully this incident did not result in a collision, we will conduct a thorough investigation into what has happened and will then take whatever action is deemed appropriate as a result.”