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

[whole diary]

[grahame]

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.

It is natural for the Highways authorities and Network Rail to contract and pay for the repairs initially - I would not want it to be up to the [insert words] driving the log lorry to engage people and manage the show - (s)he has caused concern that (s)he can't even drive in a safe manner.     Having said which - yes - it costs Network Rail and the experts as Rebecca Watling has pointed out - but I would hope that she (or, rather her team) can then present the bill onward to the driver and his/her insurer.  I wonder if any expert here can tell us what the cost will be to Network Rail  ... and how much of that they claim back.

Yes - it will cost the public purse.  But then the public pure should be getting it back ....

[Mark A]

Not particularly relevant, but, looking at the photo in the article, it's not impossible that the roundel mounted on the bridge and stating the clearance is the same one recorded by Google Streetview in 2024 as mounted on a pole beside the bridge. (The height notice on the other side of the bridge is triangular.)

Streetview shows the signage there (not only bridge height related) has been revised several times in the last ten years.

Also, wondering where the start/end points for that delivery would have been. If it happened to be Kronospan at Chirk, wouldn't have thought that it would have taken the load up the A470.

Mark

[John D]

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.

It is natural for the Highways authorities and Network Rail to contract and pay for the repairs initially - I would not want it to be up to the [insert words] driving the log lorry to engage people and manage the show - (s)he has caused concern that (s)he can't even drive in a safe manner.     Having said which - yes - it costs Network Rail and the experts as Rebecca Watling has pointed out - but I would hope that she (or, rather her team) can then present the bill onward to the driver and his/her insurer.  I wonder if any expert here can tell us what the cost will be to Network Rail  ... and how much of that they claim back.

Yes - it will cost the public purse.  But then the public pure should be getting it back ....

Network Rail should be able to recover all their costs from the lorry company (or their insurers) assuming they are caught.  And clearly this one wasn't able to run away.   Their costs would include any compensation to a train operator.

Fire service cannot charge for attending road accidents, but ambulance service can recover cost of any treatment they give. Police can charge for removal and storage of vehicles causing a hazard.  Breakdown and Recovery services will also charge the driver or their insurers.

train operators delay repay payouts are based on percentages of ticket values, not the amount from Network Rail, so could be cost (or a gain) to this part of public purse.

Ultimately the public will end up paying for time and inconvenience of consequential delays as indirect costs are usually not recoverable.

[Richard Fairhurst]

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

What a silly intro. The bridge hasn't cost taxpayers anything. Drivers who are unable to read signs have.

[ChrisB]

Drivers are *never* at fault. We all know this, don't we?

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

Highways bosses review A5's most bashed bridge solution

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Lorries regularly misjudge the A5 Watling Street bridge's height

Highways officials are reviewing a long-awaited scheme aimed at stopping tall vehicles hitting a low bridge dubbed "Britain's most bashed".

Work to lower the road under the rail bridge over the A5 Watling Street, near Hinckley, was initially due to be carried out in March 2024, but has yet to begin.

National Highways has said a technical review of the road-lowering plan would progress in the coming weeks and it was hoped work could begin later this year. However, councillors fear the "highly complex" scheme might be unviable.

The road-lowering plan was approved when permission was granted for a large logistics park near the bridge in June 2023. Developer Mountpark said it would fund the project and is working with National Highways on final proposals.

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National Highways said delays to the scheme had been frustrating

Hinckley and Bosworth borough councillor Paul Williams said: "The developer is prepared to pay for the scheme, but it still needs to be confirmed by National Highways."

"The issue is that if you lower the road you could get down into the water table and then there is the risk of flooding on a very busy road," he added. "That's complicated it and is the main cause of the delays. If they decide, after this review, that the scheme can't go ahead, we are back to square one."

Network Rail figures have shown the A5 bridge was struck 22 times between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, confirming its status as the most bashed bridge in the country.

Williams said each strike caused massive traffic jams on nearby roads and said lorry drivers themselves had a responsibility to avoid the bridge if they have very tall vehicles.

Ann Pendlebury, a borough councillor for Hinckley and a county councillor, said: "We have to get on with something to solve this problem and I fear the logistics park will be completed and in use long before the bridge work happens."

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Officials said they needed to be sure the complex road lowering could be carried out safely

National Highways programme development manager, Ian Doust, said: "Our priority for this, as with all of our roads, is safety, which is why we have worked closely with the developer to ensure this is carried out to the highest design and technical specifications and is delivered without unacceptable levels of disruption.

"This is not a quick fix to the issues at this location, it is a highly complex engineering solution and lowering the road must not adversely impact the bridge or drainage system, particularly with changing weather patterns. Taking into account traffic levels, we must be certain work can be delivered safely and without unacceptable levels of disruption.

"We work closely with the developers and the design is now ready for technical approval consideration, with work scheduled to start this year. While the time taken may be frustrating, this level of scrutiny and assurance is essential to ensure that the road will be safe, serviceable and resilient for years to come."

Mountpark has been contacted for comment.

[CyclingSid]

Ultimately it will come down to money. If the companies and drivers are hit hard financially it should concentrate minds and change attitudes.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Interestingly, this latest 'lorry on its side' incident seems have been achieved without the assistance of any railway bridge. From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Road closes after lorry overturns at Hazelwick Roundabout in Crawley

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A recovery operation lifted the lorry off the road earlier

Police have said they are investigating after a lorry overturned at a roundabout in West Sussex.

Emergency services were called to Hazelwick Roundabout in Crawley, at about 07:00 GMT to a crash involving a single vehicle.

Sussex Police said no injuries were reported. The force said the road was temporarily closed while the vehicle was recovered. Anyone with information on the crash can report it to Sussex Police online.

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No-one was injured in the lorry crash, police said

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Sussex Police urged people to get in contact if they have any information

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The road was closed for a time by emergency services until the vehicle was recovered

[bobm]

Another lorry got stuck under the Whitehouse bridge by Swindon station on Saturday. 

The Swindon Advertiser is reporting the driver had no insurance or a licence. 

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/25814115.driver-reported-lorry-wedged-swindon-bridge/

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

Lorry tips on side after striking Newport, Essex railway bridge

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Emergency services attended the scene of the crash in Newport, Essex

A lorry was left leaning on its side after it struck a low bridge that carries the railway line to London.

Cambridge Road in Newport, Essex, was closed overnight, after the incident was reported shortly after 00:00 BST.

Images released by the fire service showed the lorry partially propped up by the side pillar of the bridge after it tried to drive under. The bridge has a height restriction of 4.3m (14ft, 3in).

Railway services have been running as normal during the morning commute.

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Engineers were called to assess the bridge, but trains were operating normally through the area on Friday morning

[Chris from Nailsea]

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

Road lowering at 'most bashed' bridge near Hinckley set to start

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Lorries regularly misjudge the A5 Watling Street bridge's height

Long-awaited work to try to prevent lorries striking a low bridge dubbed "Britain's most bashed" is to start in the summer.

Developers have confirmed plans to lower the carriageway of the A5 Watling Street, near Hinckley in Leicestershire, under the railway bridge.

Network Rail figures have shown the bridge was struck 22 times between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, confirming its status as the most bashed bridge in the country.

A temporary traffic regulation order, published on Wednesday, said the road lowering would be part of a wider series of highways works set to start on 5 May and take up to a year.

Hinckley and Bosworth 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) Luke Evans said he had been told the road lowering would take place in the summer holidays over a two-week period.

The road-lowering plan was approved when permission was granted for a large logistics park near the bridge in June 2023.

Developer Mountpark said it would fund the project. The firm's senior development director Tom Kilmister said the order had been agreed with National Highways.

"The schedule of works includes delivery of the new signal-controlled site access, upgrades to Dodwells Roundabout, enhanced pedestrian and cycle connectivity, and the lowering of the A5 carriageway beneath the railway bridge," Kilmister said. "By addressing this long-standing bottleneck, Mountpark will deliver lasting improvements to safety, reducing disruption and improve reliability for the local community and the wider road network."

Kilmister said the firm was working closely with Network Rail, National Highways and Leicestershire County Council highways bosses on the scheme.

Under the proposed works, a 40mph speed limit will be imposed on the A5 between its junctions at Hammonds Way and Dodwells Road.

The traffic order allows the contractors to close the road overnight between 20:00 and 06:00 over periods while undertaking work.

Project manager Craig Tiernan told the BBC the road lowering would take place "over the summer" with the exact dates to be confirmed.

The road is a major trunk route and diversions will be put in place to send traffic down the M69, M6 and M42.

Evans said he understood the road would be closed "over a short period of a couple of weeks during the summer holidays" to allow the works to be carried out. "Our area has been waiting for so long to get the issue of the Watling Street bridge sorted. There will be disruption while these works take place, but I'm sure we can all agree that sorting this bridge is long overdue. This is short-term pain for long-term gain."

A National Highways spokesperson said: "National Highways has received notification of some initial preparation works to start this spring. However, we do not yet have any details of when the main works will start. This will need to be confirmed by the developer Mountpark."

Under planning conditions agreed with Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Mountpark has said it would lower the road before it starts operating its new warehouse complex. However, the firm has submitted planning documents saying the highways improvements are forecast to be complete by March 2027.

It has applied to vary the condition to allow Tesco to start using a unit at its new complex from September 2026. The supermarket giant is set to relocate from its nearby distribution centre in Dowells Road.

County councillor for the area Ann Pendlebury said: "It's good news they are committing to the bridge work. But I think it would be unwise to let them change the planning conditions. There's an agreement and it should be stuck with."

Kilmister said the recent application "seeks to allow Tesco, the occupier of Unit 1 at Mountpark Hinckley, to continue progressing towards its occupation from September 2026 whilst working around the sequencing of the highway works."

He added: "Once Tesco relocates, the existing Dodwells Road facility will become vacant. As a result, there will be no material increase in traffic flows on the local road network in the short term. Tesco's existing operations are currently not impacted by the low railway bridge on the A5, meaning there is no increased risk of bridge strikes arising from the phased occupation."

[Clan Line]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgjpnww69pqo

You can perhaps understand a lorry driver with a high trailer behind him...............but when the "high point" is inches above your own head.....................Darwin Award

[Chris from Nailsea]

From that BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) news item:

There is an option to use a level crossing next to the bridge.

CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum).

[stuving]

From that BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) news item:

There is an option to use a level crossing next to the bridge.

CfN^▸ (Chris from Nailsea, an administrator on this forum).

No there isn't! It closed in 2018 when the Southern Bypass, with a bridge over the railway 1km away, opened.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Fair enough: that shows why I shouldn't believe anything the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) post.