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Thursday 21 Nov 2024

Newport bridge earns unwanted top spot as Network Rail urges drivers to take better care at railway bridges

Region & Route:

Wales & Western

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

Network Rail is urging drivers to ‘Wise Up, Size Up’ and take better care on the roads as it emerged several of Britain’s most bashed bridges are on the South Wales Main Line.

New figures released by Network Rail reveal heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) colliding with bridges caused more than 100 days (150,000 minutes) of delays for rail passengers across Britain last year. From 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 there were 1,532 reported bridge strikes across the whole network ­– one every six hours – which cost Britain’s rail industry around £20m in delays, cancellations, and repairs.

In Wales, Trafle Mill Underbridge in Gowerton, Swansea, was hit seven times during the 12-month period, placing it 18^th overall on Network Rail’s list of most bashed bridges in Britain.

But another bridge on the South Wales Main Line – Bishton Road Bridge in Newport – is in the top two in Britain for both the number of delay minutes caused by it being struck and the overall cost of those delays.

The bridge’s location on the South Wales Main Line between Newport and Severn Tunnel Junction stations – and the fact the line must be closed and the bridge inspected if struck by a vehicle – contributed to 2,888 delay minutes (48 hours) in the 12-month period to March this year.

Only the Cab Road Entrance Underline Bridge at London Waterloo, with 5,126 delay minutes (85 hours), saw more delays caused by vehicle strikes.

When it comes to the financial burden of bridge strikes, though, Bishton Road Bridge takes the unwanted No 1 spot, with strikes to the structure costing the rail industry more than £396,000 in 12 months.

But measures put in place since these statistics were recorded give hope that the Bishton Road Bridge’s appearance at the top of the charts will prove to be a one-off.

Network Rail has worked in partnership with Newport City Council to fund ‘goalposts’, like those used in car parks with height restrictions, on both approaches to the bridge to stop oversized vehicles getting as far as the bridge itself.

The early evidence suggests the collaboration is paying off.

Daniel Brookfield, Network Rail asset engineer (structures) and Wales and Borders’ ‘bridge strike champion’, said: “We work closely with local authorities to improve bridge strike mitigation measures for all our vulnerable structures, but we pay particular attention to those that are frequently hit and have high delay minutes and costs.

“Bishton Road Bridge is a good example of collaborative working, where we funded the goalposts that Newport City Council constructed and will maintain.

“We carried out a full review of the site, and the local authority delivered a scheme that has improved the advanced warning signage, improved the lining on the road, and installed the goalposts that should stop any strikes in the future.

“This bridge is on our busiest stretch of track connecting South Wales with the rest of the UK, and the structural form means that following a strike it must remain closed until it can be examined to make sure the track alignment has not been affected. That is why the delay minutes and associated costs are so high for the 2023-24 period, but we are confident the measures we’ve taken since mean this will prove an anomaly.”

Martin Frobisher, Network Rail’s group safety and engineering director, said: “Every time a vehicle hits a bridge, it can cause serious safety issues for road and rail users. To compound matters, these incidents can delay tens of thousands of passengers while we inspect the bridge and repair any damage – creating cost from public funds which should be used upgrading and improving our network.

“We’ve done a lot of work with transport partners to tackle bridge strikes and it’s encouraging to see this is paying off with a general downward trend in the number of incidents. But with a strike every six hours there’s still much to do and we urge operators and drivers to properly plan their routes, know the height of their vehicles and be vigilant for road signs showing the height of bridges.

“We will report those who don’t to the Traffic Commissioners and Network Rail always looks to recover the entire repair and delay costs from the driver and the operator.”