Plea After Another Bridge Strike

Network Rail has issued a new plea after a waste lorry struck the bridge on Scotland Road in Little Bowden yesterday afternoon.

Damage caused to the bridge on Scotland Road yesterday

The vehicle, which had a large skip on the back, collided with the structure bringing down some masonry and leaving a deep scratch mark.

Trains had to be halted for around 30 minutes while an inspection was carried out to ensure the bridge was structurally sound.

It’s the latest bridge in the area to be hit in recent weeks – the one on Kettering Road was hit twice in a few days, the second time just minutes after work to repair damage from the first incident had been completed.

Simon Woodfield, Senior Asset Engineer for Network Rail said: “We really do need drivers to pay attention to road signs and know the height of their vehicles. Bridge strikes are not only dangerous but they also cause disruption and cost a great deal of money.

“Last year the number of bridge strikes across the rail network went up, making it the worst year for bridge strikes for five years.

“Each year there are about 2000 railway bridge strikes, with each costing more than £10,000 for repairs and compensation to train operators for delays caused.”