Network Rail reveals Harlaxton Road railway bridge in Grantham is 5th most hit in Britain
New figures reveal a railway bridge in a Lincolnshire town is one of the top 10 most hit in Britain.
The railway bridge in Harlaxton Road, Grantham, has been hit 14 times between March 2023 until March 2024, according to Network Rail.
The bridge is ranked number five in Network Rail’s list of the top 10 most struck bridges in the UK.
Within the year the list was ranked, there were 1,532 reported bridge strikes - equivalent to one every six hours - with Ely recording the most of 18 strikes.
As a result of the strikes, it cost the British railway industry around £20 million in delays, cancellations and repairs, and also up to 100 days of delays for passengers.
Network Rail is urging lorry drivers to plan routes carefully and check vehicle heights to prevent these types of accidents happening.
Simon Pumphrey, Network Rail East Coast route infrastructure 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 costs from public funds which should be used to upgrade and improve 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 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.”
The top 10 list is as follows:
1. Stuntney Road, Ely - 18 strikes
2. Stonea Road, Stonea - 17 strikes
3. Lower Downs Road, Wimbledon - 17 strikes
4. Watling Street A5, Hinckley - 15 strikes
5. Harlaxton Road, Grantham - 14 strikes
6. Doncaster Road (A638), Ackworth, Ferrybridge - 13 strikes
7. Warminster Road Bridge, Wilton - 11 strikes
8. Abbey Farm, Thetford - 11 strikes
9. Kenworthy Road Bridge, Homerton - 11 strikes
10. Jews Lane, Twerton - 10 strikes
