Media centre

Tuesday 12 Oct 2004

BANGOR ROAD BRIDGE: “BASHED” BUT BACK IN SERVICE

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western

Passengers travelling between Chester and Shrewsbury fell victim to a “bridge bash” at the weekend.  A skip lorry hit Bangor Road Bridge in Wrexham on Friday and the rail line had to be closed while the bridge was repaired. But thanks to swift work by Network Rail engineers, and replacement services by Arriva Trains Wales, disruption was kept to a minimum and the line was re-opened by 11am on Saturday morning. Peter Leppard, Network Rail’s Acting Route Director said: “We were pleased that we were able to quickly repair Bangor Road Bridge and return it to service.  But this is not always the case with accidents involving bridges; some can result in weeks of disruption while extensive repairs are done. “We urge drivers – particularly drivers of lorries and other large vehicles – to take extra care when driving near railway bridges, as even the smallest “bridge strike” causes disruption for passengers while the bridge is checked and repaired.”  Network Rail, in partnership with the freight and construction plant transport industry, recently produced two guides for professional drivers and transport managers to raise awareness of the risk and consequences of bridge strikes and provide helpful guidance to prevent them. The guide includes information on legal requirements, road signs, route planning, vehicle height checks, and load security. A handy route and vehicle pro-forma is also provided to enable route planning and bridge height checks to be carried out and recorded prior to the start of a journey. Key tips for drivers include:

• Planning journeys in advance to avoid low bridges.
• Measuring the height and width of the vehicle and displaying them in the cab before travelling, considering both the load and equipment.
• Vehicle height should be checked again after unloading/reloading.
• Checking that lifting arms and other pieces of equipment are secured before and during the journey.
• Planning of an alternative route, avoiding low bridges in case of road closures, diversions or heavy traffic.

  The guides are available on the websites of: the Health and Safety Executive, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the Association of Chief Constables, and can also be downloaded from the Network Rail website at www.networkrail.co.uk.