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Friday 10 Jan 2020

No train services between Ipswich, Cambridge and Peterborough after lorry becomes trapped under bridge

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

There are currently no train services between Ipswich and Cambridge and Ipswich and Peterborough owing to a lorry becoming trapped under a bridge at Bury St Edmunds (Friday 10 January).

The container on the back of the lorry has become wedged under the bridge on Saxham Road. Network Rail engineers are assisting with freeing the vehicle so that an inspection and repairs can be carried out and the line safely reopened. Passengers are advised to check how their journey will be affected.

Bridge strikes are a costly problem for the railway and can cause delays to train services and on the road network while damage is repaired.

Most of the vehicles that hit railway bridges are Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and buses, at a cost of around £13,000 per strike –costing the UK taxpayer around £23m a year.

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail route director, Anglia, said: “There is no excuse to not know the height of your vehicle before starting your journey.

“As well as putting lives in danger on both road and rail and causing lengthy delays for passengers and road users, drivers who chance it at bridges are at risk of losing their licenses and leaving their employers with a hefty bill for repairs and train delay costs, along with a strong threat to their own operators licence.”

To find out more about Network Rail’s wise up, size up campaign go to www.networkrail.co.uk/wiseupsizeup

Passengers should check how their journey will be affected with their train operator.