One of the most frequently hit railway bridges in the UK has reopened after undergoing repairs as well as work to strengthen the structure.
One of the most frequently hit railway bridges in the UK has reopened after undergoing repairs as well as work to strengthen the structure and better protect it from future bridge strikes.
New Civil Engineer reported that the rail bridge that carries the Ely to Peterborough line and that crosses Stones Road in Cambridgeshire was seriously damaged in a crash in October 2019, which resulted in the road being closed.
This was the 13th time the bridge was struck in 2019 alone, and the road beneath it has remained closed since this incident until early 2021.
As well as repairing the damage, the news provider noted that engineers from Network Rail have also installed a new protection beam, which is designed to help strengthen and protect the bridge from similar incidents in the future.
Ellie Burrows, Network Rail Anglia route director, told the publication that drivers need to be aware of the height of their vehicles to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
“We have carried out extensive works to make the bridge stronger, but this doesn’t mean that drivers can be complacent. Motorists should do their bit too and wise up, size up,” she stated.
The publication noted that repairing bridges that have been hit by vehicles costs the UK taxpayer an average of £23 million per year.
In November last year, Network Rail released its annual statistics showing which bridges had been hit the most times in the past 12 months. At the top of the list was Watling Street bridge on the A5 in Hinckley, Leicestershire, which was hit 25 times that year.
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