Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
A railway bridge in Hinckley, Leicestershire, has been struck by a high vehicle for the 13th time in 2024. The A5 Watling Street bridge was previously awarded the title of “most bashed” in Britain after being hit 25 times between 2019 and 2020, with 88 crashes in total between 2017 and September 2022. Network Rail reported that the railway bridge saw almost one crash every fortnight on average in the year to March 2023.
On Wednesday, a lorry crashed into the railway bridge, spilling its load and leading to the closure of the A5 in both directions. The road was reopened later that morning, with no reports of any injuries. Midlands Connect found that four of these incidents caused the economy a combined £126,000 due to traffic delays, while ten incidents caused rail delays that cost the economy roughly £43,000. The cost of bridge strikes to the taxpayer is estimated by Network Rail to be £23mn annually.
Conservative MP for Hinckley and Bosworth Dr Luke Evans has arranged to meet with the government after the most recent crash. The MP said the A5 road needed improvements, with collisions at the bridge causing over 4,400 hours of road delays each year. Leicestershire county councillor David Bill attributed the persistent collisions to drivers who are reckless and think they can get a tall vehicle under a low bridge.
Developer Agrarian Development Holdings was given permission in June 2023 to build a warehouse and office complex on a nearby site, part of which includes lowering the road under the bridge. While this could solve the bridge strike issue, Hinckley and Bosworth’s planning committee warned it would create long-term traffic problems. National Highways are currently working with the developer to achieve technical assurance, but there is no confirmed timeframe for the work
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.