By NEIL MILLARD

neil.millard@essnmedia.co.uk

Trams were involved in 28 "accidents" in Croydon last year the Advertiser has discovered.

Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request show that 15 people were injured in the incidents.

The worst of the accidents was the September collision with a bus at the junction of George Street and Park Lane which killed bus passenger Andrzej Karcz.

In another accident an elderly pedestrian had to be airlifted to the Royal London Hospital after being hit by a tram in New Addington.

On December 22 he had tried to cross the tracks "without looking" at the King Henry's Drive roundabout when he was hit, leaving him with chest and head injuries.

The documents, from Transport for London (TfL), show that during 2008 four motorists jumped red lights and collided with trams.

They also reveal 11 pedestrians were hit after walking into the path of trams - or sometimes into the trams themselves.

On September 18 in London Road, West Croydon, TfL records show a drunk man walked into the side of a tram and fell to the ground.

He was uninjured and police identified him as a known alcoholic who was "profoundly deaf".

On November 16 in Addiscombe Road another man, also believed to be drunk, is thought to have stumbled into the side of a tram and fallen into the road beside it with a child.

The man was arrested by police who have said they cannot say if he was charged because the case is three months old.

On August 30 in Bingham Road, Addiscombe, a car jumped a red light and a woman on the tram was thrown from her mobility scooter on impact.

The car's 84-year-old driver was taken to Mayday Hospital with a neck injury and the woman received a knock to the head.

On August 8 another car jumped a red light in Oaks Road, Shirley.

This time, records show the motorist admitted he had been drinking but no one was injured.

An unlicensed driver was responsible for running a red light in Lower Addiscombe Road on March 13.

The car spun round and a car passenger was taken to Mayday with minor chest and neck injuries.

In February there was a collision between a mini and a tram.

The records also reveal official details of the fatal crash in central Croydon on September 7.

They show the tram involved was travelling at 29 kilometres per hour when a bus collided with it in George Street.

The tram driver received bruised ribs and was left in shock.

Two bus passengers and two tram passengers received minor injuries.

TfL says it is working with Croydon Council to improve signage where appropriate and is considering increasing work with schools to educate children about tram awareness.

A spokesman said: "We always look closely at accidents and near misses to try to learn what lessons we can from each one.

"We have recognised (we have) to try to improve the frequency of driver training with refresher sessions."

However, often tram drivers are totally blameless.

The spokesman added: "If a van driver chooses to jump the lights, and I'm not referring to a particular case here, then there's very little we can do."