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Tuesday 10 Nov 2020

Network Rail relaunches bridge strike campaign in Lincolnshire as new stats show notorious Grantham railway bridges struck 21 times in last year

Region & Route:

Eastern

| Eastern: East Coast

Network Rail has relaunched a campaign to tackle bridge strikes in Lincolnshire after new figures reveal the bridges on Barrowby Road and Harlaxton Road were bashed 21 times last year.

Harlaxton Road bridge was hit 13 times, making it the eighth most struck bridge in the country, with Barrowby Road bridge not far behind having been struck eight times. Elsewhere in Lincolnshire, the railway bridge on Ermine Street was struck three times and bridges in Corby Glen and Gainsborough were both struck twice, meaning a total of 28* bridge bashes in the county.

With another lockdown period announced, increased online orders being delivered due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Black Friday and Christmas rush around the corner, and more large vehicles expected on Britain’s roads, Network Rail has released these figures to remind drivers and operators of their obligations to prevent these dangerous bridge strikes, which cost the taxpayers millions every year, as well as cause unnecessary delays for travellers.

Across the country, the number of reported bridge strikes has fallen by an average of 11%, however Lincolnshire lags behind that figure with no decrease in the number of bridge strikes across the county. In fact, the number of times Harlaxton Road bridge was struck increased by 18%. However, more encouraging news shows that drivers are beginning to heed the warning at Barrowby Road, as the latest figures show the number of strikes almost halving (47%) from the previous year.

Before the Christmas rush begins, Network Rail is urging drivers and companies to know the size of their vehicles and to plan their routes in advance. Network Rail will feature reminders to drivers on petrol pumps at motorway service stations across Britain, reminding them to check their routes before setting off or face losing their licence. 

The campaign has been relaunched following a letter which Richard Turfitt, Senior Traffic Commissioner for Great Britain, issued last month to all goods vehicle and Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operator licence holders. The letter warned them that regulatory action which could result in the loss of their operator’s licence is a real possibility should they fail to take appropriate control measures to prevent bridge strikes.

Paul Rutter, Route Director for Network Rail’s East Coast Route, said: “We’ve done a lot of work with partners across the industry in recent years to tackle bridge strikes, however, there’s much more to be done.

“There were still far too many bridge strikes in the county last year, which caused unnecessary delays for passengers, as well as costing the taxpayer money. As Christmas deliveries ramp up, we’re urging all drivers to know the size of their vehicle and follow the guidance.”

ENDS