Steps taken to halt accidents at danger bridge (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Steps taken to halt accidents at danger bridge

12:24pm Sunday 10th June 2007 in News By Raeanne Nightingale

Train passenger delays caused by lorries hitting a Hullavington bridge could be dramatically cut.

This follows a new initiative by Network Rail and Wiltshire Country Council at one of the worst hit bridges in the area.

Kingway Bridge has two new interactive height warning signs to reduce the number of times it is struck by vehicles.

In the past 12 months, the bridge has been hit 13 times, costing the rail industry over £80,000 in delays. The bridge is frequently smacked by lorries that are too tall, with vehicles often getting stuck.

Robbie Burns, Network Rail's western route director, said: "Every time this bridge is hit, we have to close the railway until an engineer can examine the structure for any damage.

"Consequently, this causes substantial costs, disruption and damage to the rail industry and to passengers."

By using laser beams, the new interactive signs, funded by Network Rail, warn drivers approaching the bridge from both sides if their vehicles are too tall.

Peter Harris, principal traffic engineer at Wiltshire County Council, said: "We have organised the installation of these signs on behalf of Network Rail.

"Any bridge strike causes significant disruption and delays to traffic on the A429. The A429 is a primary route and a diversion route for closures of the motorway, so the installation of these signs should have considerable benefits to the motoring public as well as to the railway network".

This project is part of Network Rail's wider programme to improve performance between London Paddington and the West Country.