MP urges action after lorry strikes rail bridge



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.

I think the inverted car came off the transporter, top deck, behind the white van. Empty during the event.

Ouch! That does not bode well for the driver.

Reading Chronicle reports lorry striking bridge in Caversham Road.
Bridge undamaged, apparently.

https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/24583008.pictures-cars-damaged-lorry-hits-central-reading-railway-bridge/

Ten in hospital after bus roof cut off in Glasgow bridge crash

Firstbus now have a bridge warning alarm if there's a bridge lower than your vehicle on it's Ticketer machines.
Recently, initial checks were performed on the Ticketer before you left the depot to start your first run (rather than the paper check list previously). 
The Ticketer is gps, so knows where it is, and has the height of bridges pre programmed in nationwide.

Low hanging power cables would probably more effective

Too obvious a (partial ?) solution ??

Driver fined and banned from driving HGVs for 6 months after jamming lorry under Coulsdon railway bridge, causing massive delays in London, Surrey and Sussex

A driver who jammed his HGV under a bridge carrying the Brighton Main Line through Coulsdon has been banned from driving lorries for six months as a result.

The incident on 7 July this year happened at around 2.30pm on the A237 Brighton Road, just outside Coulsdon South station. The lorry became wedged under the iron girder bridge that carries the fast lines for express trains to Gatwick Airport, Haywards Heath and Brighton. The nature of the bridge meant it had to be closed until the lorry could be removed, leaving just two tracks open for the whole Brighton Main Line.

In fact it was 8.45pm before the lorry could be removed, meaning trains were disrupted right up until the end of the day as far afield as Eastbourne in the south and Bedford and Cambridge in the north.

The driver appeared before the South East Traffic Commissioner in late November to receive a six-month HGV driving ban, following an earlier court appearance where he was fined a means-tested £715 and given six points on his licence for driving without due care and attention and contravening a traffic sign.

Network Rail’s route director for Sussex, Katie Frost, said: “Well over 400 trains and thousands of passengers from across the South were disrupted by this single error of judgement, and it brings home how important it is for professional drivers to check the heights of their lorries and their routes before setting off.

“Network Rail seeks to recover costs for incidents like this one and we work closely with the Office of the Traffic Commissioner and Metropolitan Police to tackle drivers who damage our bridges.

“The fine and the ban won’t make up for the costs of the disruption but they send a message to other drivers that it’s never worth running the risk.”

Sergeant Alex Burlison from the Commercial Vehicle Unit at the Metropolitan Police Service said: “Far too often we are deploying resources to deal with these incidents which are wholly avoidable with each collision having the potential for fatal consequences.

"These drivers are entrusted to drive some of the largest vehicles on the road and it is only right that should they be involved in a collision with infrastructure of any description that they are placed before the courts.”

Cycling down the road from Salisbury station yesterday traffic held up by a lorry trying to do a three(?) point turn before the railway bridge. Presumably some drivers do know the height of their vehicles and can read road signs.

Something different - not a lorry for once !

https://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/23168378.a30-london-road-reopens-six-hours-tractor-strikes-railway-bridge/

Same bridge as #535 I think.

Following the hot summer, the ground had shrunk and the railway embankment had dropped. Subsequently with the recent wet weather the ground has swelled such that the height clearance under the bridge has been reduced and is now less than that shown on the signs.

Wonderful work, and truly astonishing. I wonder how long until the next?

Apparently the bridge has been struck again today.  Currently the line is closed pending an inspection.

New bridge deck constructed as an emergency.  That is going to cost the skip company's insurers a pretty penny.  I wouldn't like to think what their premiums might go up to at the next renewal.

Maybe they are. It would be consequential loss, I guess. It would still "cost" NR the same amount either way - all their outgoings are funded from some external source!

I wonder what does get charged to the insurers?
Shouldn't those delay and cancellation fees be charged to the insurers too? Or to the MIB for those that are uninsured.

Bridge strikes like these have cost Network Rail – and ultimately the taxpayer – almost £12 million in delay and cancellation fees in 2021/22.

Despite being one of the biggest bashes in recent times, damaging the deck so badly it (one of two) needed to be replaced, NR have just announced the line has reopened:

Despite being one of the biggest bashes in recent times, damaging the deck so badly it (one of two) needed to be replaced, NR have just announced the line has reopened:

Bad one near Ketton this morning, a skip lorry really damaging a bridge which was only 13 ft clearance. Freight route but diversions planned fir tomorrow.
Some recent images here
https://twitter.com/staplefordtrain/status/1588848669310484483?s=61&t=jeNqiQddLzi03VAaQXLrgw

Railway bridge repaired to reconnect Leicester and Peterborough

This morning (23 November), rail passengers can travel between Leicester and Peterborough once again after Network Rail completes almost three weeks of extensive repairs.

Fosters bridge, which sits across the A6121 Stamford Road in Ketton, Rutland, was struck by a lorry on Saturday 5 November, putting the railway line between Leicester and Peterborough out of action.

Since then, engineers have worked around the clock to remove the damaged bridge deck, install a brand-new one and then lay fresh ballast and track over the top so that trains can use the section safely again.

An educated guess - does the main Belfast to Dublin railway run over the top of it?

An educated guess - does the main Belfast to Dublin railway run over the top of it?

S that a railway bridge though?

The team at Google Maps are constantly on the road taking photos of the world to keep their Street View service up to date. But despite their 15 years of experience, they still manage to make an embarrassing blunder from time to time. While venturing around Grants Road, in Newry, Northern Ireland, the Google Maps Street View car got into a spot of bother after driving under a bridge.

It seems the driver forgot just how tall its camera stands as it was knocked off part way through the bridge. A hilarious series of Street View snaps show the driver entering the bridge, a blurry shot of the camera colliding with its roof, and then the back of the car as the camera presumably hangs down out of place.

   Just to confirm - we report every one of these to the Traffic Commissioners, who consider the suitability of the Operator and driver to continue to hold their vocational licences; and we claim for damage and delay from the operator.

Another one in Romsey yesterday. Nice pictures in the Hampshire Chronicle.

https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/23099754.road-blocked-lorry-strikes-railway-bridge-romsey/

Another one in Romsey yesterday. Nice pictures in the Hampshire Chronicle.

https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/23099754.road-blocked-lorry-strikes-railway-bridge-romsey/

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Wiltshire Police said the driver had been issued a traffic offence report for careless driving.

We have been informed that a road vehicle has struck a bridge between Clandon and London Road (Guildford). Staff are en-route to examine the bridge. In the meantime, trains will remain at stand. 

We're sorry but we expect there may be cancellations, delays or alterations to services until 14:00.

We have been informed of a safety inspection of the track between Clandon and Guildford. This means that the line towards Guildford is currently blocked.

Until further notice, trains between London Waterloo and Guildford via Cobham will be terminated at/started from Effingham Junction. Trains from London Waterloo to Guildford via Leatherhead will be diverted via Woking.

We have requested rail replacement buses to run between Guildford and Leatherhead and these will be in place from 17:30.

We have been informed that a road vehicle has struck a bridge between London Road Guildford and Clandon. Staff are en-route to examine the bridge. In the meantime, trains will be unable to pass between these stations.

We have been informed that a road vehicle has struck a bridge between Clandon and Guildford. Staff are en-route to examine the bridge. In the meantime, trains are unable to run over the bridge so may be diverted or delayed.

Ah, it takes a lot of scrolling down to understand what hit the bridge (Clue - It wasn't the tanker). I had been scratching my head trying to work out how the tanker in the first photo could have been too tall to do that, so assumed it must have been a side strike.

That's a bit dangerous, isn't it?

https://www.wiltshirelive.co.uk/news/wiltshire-news/a36-lorry-crash-live-wilton-7346662

That bridge in Wilton again today. That's at least the third time this year that it has been hit.

That's a bit dangerous, isn't it?

There are buses, and Botley Road buses. One is shorter than the other.

https://www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/news/20209907.bus-stuck-railway-bridge-oxford/

Today in Oxford. A bus under the Botley Road railway bridge.

Totally wiped out! Toilet roll lorry crashes into low railway bridge in London, sparking traffic chaos with roads gridlocked and South Eastern train services suspended

The driver deserves a damn good threshing.

Just over a mile west of Farnham station, it’s one of the comparatively rare bridges with anti-collision beams fitted both sides. 

Paul

Perhaps he was coming to the end of his shift and looking forward to hitting the hay.

Perhaps he should be remanded on bale? 

That must be the final straw for the driver… 

There was traffic disruption in Anniesland after a lorry carrying bales of hay became stuck under a bridge.

The incident happened on Thursday afternoon shortly after 3pm on Bearsden Road.

Footage and pictures were posted online showing the vehicle unable to move.

Drivers indicated that there was a short tailback created as a result of the incident.

Loose bales of hale could also be seen on the road after the lorry collided with the bridge.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 3.15 pm on Thursday, March 17, 2022, police attended a report of a HGV stuck under a bridge in Bearsden Road, Glasgow.

“There were no reports of any injuries and the road was reopened around 6.30pm.”

A lorry has overturned after striking a notorious bridge in Farnham. Wrecclesham Road is currently blocked with the large vehicle having tipped on its side.

In a post on social media, Surrey Police's road unit said the driver had failed to adhere to the height restrictions. This resulted in the HGV striking the bridge and flipping over.

They've warned drivers that clearing the vehicle may take some time. Motorists might want to find a different route in the meantime or allow extra time for their journey.

No, this isn't a railway bridge, but it might as well be! From the BBC, three days ago:

Downton is a name I associate with a depot at Moreton Valence on the A38.

And Downton are a local company, the driver must have beem under the bridge before.

Lorry hits Widnes road gantry in rush hour crash


The top of the lorry, apparently a tipper truck, was left leaning on the gantry

A lorry has crashed into a road gantry, leaving part of the vehicle propped up against the structure and causing widespread delays.

It happened on the A562 Speke Road in Widnes, Cheshire, at about 06:40 GMT, police said.

Nobody was injured but work is under way to remove the lorry part and check the gantry, near the Hale Road slip road, for stability.

Own goal.............


https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/19715361.rail-replacement-bus-stuck-underneath-bridge-brighton/?ref=twtrec