Railway bridges struck by road vehicles - many incidents, ongoing discussion

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

"Hay, what's happened here? I was already late: this is the last straw!"

[Chris from Nailsea]

From Network Rail:

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Hinckley railway bridge sits in top ten of Network Rail’s most bashed bridges

Watling Bridge in Hinckley sits at number four of the list of Network Rail’s most frequently hit bridges.

New figures released by Network Rail reveal Watling Bridge was struck 15 times in the last year, up from 12 the year before.

The new figures come as Network Rail urges haulage operators and their lorry drivers to ‘Wise Up, Size Up’ and take better care on the roads.

Network Rail works closely with industry partners to tackle bridge strikes. Its ongoing ‘Wise Up, Size Up’ campaign reminds lorry drivers to check the height of their vehicles and plan their route in advance to avoid low bridges.

Network Rail also has a team of bridge strike champions covering each route across Britain, who raise awareness by visiting local haulage companies. This is proving effective in many parts of the country with a reduction in the total number of incidents recorded on the network over the last two years, including a 4% reduction in the last year alone.

Lei Wang, principal route engineer for West Coast South, said: “The number of collisions with Watling Street Bridge remains a concern, there have been 68 incidents since 2019. To prevent delays on the railway when hit, we have collision protection beams in place. This means the beams get hit instead of the bridge itself.  Although this has meant less disruption to passengers, the number is still too high so I want to urge drivers to know the size of their vehicle and take more care when approaching the bridge.”

[Surrey 455]

I don't understand why there isn't a gantry before these bridges with something dangling on a rope that would hit the top of the vehicle alerting the driver before they hit the bridge.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I don't understand why there isn't a gantry before these bridges with something dangling on a rope that would hit the top of the vehicle alerting the driver before they hit the bridge.

... something like a hangman's noose, maybe? 

[grahame]

Most struck railway bridges in Britain 2023/24:

1. Stuntney Road, Ely - 18 strikes
2. Stonea Road, Stonea - 17 strikes
3. Lower Downs Road, Wimbledon - 17 strikes
4. Watling Street A5, Hinckley - 15 strikes
5. Harlaxton Road, Grantham - 14 strikes
6. Doncaster Road (A638), Ackworth, Ferrybridge - 13 strikes
7. Warminster Road Bridge, Wilton - 11 strikes
8. Abbey Farm, Thetford - 11 strikes
9. Kenworthy Road Bridge, Homerton - 11 strikes
10. Jews Lane, Twerton - 10 strikes

[Chris from Nailsea]

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Oops! 

[Chris from Nailsea]

... and another.  From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

MP^▸ (Member of Parliament, or Mile Post (a method of measuring the railway in miles and chains from a starting point - usually London), depending on context) urges action after lorry strikes rail bridge

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An MP has called for "urgent action" to prevent vehicles striking a railway bridge after an incident brought traffic in Hull to a standstill.

Police closed Stoneferry on Monday after a lorry hit a bridge and blocked the road.

Karl Turner, who represents Hull East, said there had been many similar incidents in recent years, which put pressure on businesses because "the whole city comes to a grinding halt".

A spokesperson for Network Rail said: "This bridge has high-profile signs, chevrons and protective beams in place. When incidents happen, we look to recover the repair and delay costs from operators and drivers."  Thirteen incidents were reported at the Stoneferry bridge between 2020 and February 2023, Network Rail said.

Now, Mr Turner has written to Hull City Council requesting action to reduce accidents.  "I think there's lots of things that could be done to ensure collisions like these are avoided," he said. "In some cities framing is put around the bridge and collisions go into the framing rather than the bridge.  This is a major route into the docks of the city and freight trains can be delayed for hours on end which causes a major impact to those businesses on the docks."

A spokesperson from Hull City Council said: "There is signage currently in place from all directions to warn drivers of the upcoming bridge."

Humberside Police said no one was hurt during Monday's incident, but the road was closed while the lorry was recovered.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

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The roof and sides of a van were ripped off when it got stuck under the bridge last week

A railway bridge dubbed the "most bashed" in Britain has been hit again — three times so far this month.

Network Rail awarded the dubious accolade to the structure in Stuntney Road/Bridge Road in Ely, Cambridgeshire, with 18 incidents recorded in 2023-24. It has been struck again with three vehicles hitting the low bridge last week.

Network Rail said: "Our maintenance teams carried out thorough inspections after each incident and confirmed there was no structural damage to the bridge." The company confirmed three separate incidents of vehicles bashing the bridge on 20, 22 and 24 October.

Local residents took to Facebook group Spotted in Ely to comment on the latest spate of strikes. One called it the "Britney bridge — Hit me baby one more time" after the singer Britney Spears's hit single. And several added, sarcastically: "If only there was a warning sign".

In previous years, lorries and large vans, including one carrying trays of tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables, have all got wedged beneath the bridge.

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The bridge has been hit many times over the years despite warning signs

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

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An HGV lorry got stuck under a bridge in Shropshire because the driver had "misjudged heights", say police.

West Mercia Police attended the scene on Whittington Road in Oswestry at about 20:35 GMT on Saturday, where the lorry with the livery of retailer The Range on the side had become wedged underneath the Cambrian Railway Bridge.

The force said the road was closed for several hours to allow for the recovery of the vehicle and thanked motorists and nearby residents for their patience.

It added that there were no injuries and no arrests made.

The Range has also been contacted for comment.

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[Red Squirrel]

Does seem odd to call it 'misjudgment' - unless the driver had to do a bit of mental arithmetic to convert from metres to feet and inches?

[Bob_Blakey]

As this is a BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) report surely it should be referred to as a 'mistake'?

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

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More than 1,110 minutes of train delays and temporary closures of the A470 have been caused by the crashes

A bridge that has been hit 12 times by drivers over nearly two years in "avoidable" incidents has cost taxpayers £50,000 in repairs, Network Rail has said.

The Abergavenny Road railway bridge, in Caersws, Powys, has been struck a dozen times since January 2024 - seven times in 2025 alone.

Network Rail said over-height vehicles crashed into the bridge over the Cambrian railway line despite numerous warning signs, causing more than 1,110 minutes of train delays and the A470 to temporarily close. The rail operator said it planned to install new signs in the coming months and urged drivers to know the height and width of their vehicles before starting their journey.

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Network Rail says drivers are crashing into the bridge despite numerous warning signs

Rebecca Watling, head of performance at Network Rail Wales and Borders, said "incidents like this are entirely avoidable".

"When a vehicle hits a bridge, it creates a serious safety risk and causes major disruption to the railway, with trains stopped for essential inspections and repairs - meaning people miss important appointments or connections," she said. "These incidents also carry a significant cost to the public purse - money that could be far better spent on upgrading and maintaining our rail network." She urged drivers to "check the height and width of their vehicles".

Deb Justice, Cambrian Railway Partnership's community rail development officer, said: "This affects not only local journeys on our trains but rail travel across the whole of Wales and Borders."

She also urged drivers to "take a moment" to check the size of their vehicles before setting out. "It's a small action, but one that can make a huge difference to the safety and reliability of travel for both rail passengers and road users."

[Noggin]

If it's such a problem, why has it not just got a dirty great girder arch either side to protect it?

[Mark A]

No excuse of course as it *is* signed from the road, but remarkably, despite being over the A470, there are poor sightlines into the bridge itself, signage that announces it but doesn't scream, vegetation on wing walls and approach embankments + steel span is grey, all of which lessen the visual cues and from the south, no height sign on the deck itself. (Acknowledge that with all that in place, people would still manage not to notice it...)

This might be one of the bridges that acts as a protective gateway for various other low bridges in mid wales, e.g. the series on the road up the coast from Machynlleth.

Mark

[eXPassenger]

To raise an old question again.
Why has it cost taxpayers this money?  Surely the cost should have claimed from the vehicle owners and their insurance companies.