Another lorry has smashed into the ‘most-bashed bridge in Britain’ on the A5 in Hinckley.
The roof of a Royal Mail trailer was completely torn off after it smashed into the low railway bridge near Dodwells island, forcing the road to close, in the morning of Saturday, December 12.
Chris Milner, editor of The Railway magazine. was in the area after the crash happened.
He said: “I’d been at Nuneaton for the first run of a new charter train and driving back along the A5 to head to Kibworth for another special train, when I spotted the damaged trailer of the lorry near the Lime Kilns.”
Mr Milner said that the crash led to a number of traffic problems in the area.
The A5 bridge earned the title as the nation’s 'most-bashed bridge' after it was struck 25 times over a 12 month period.
Hinckley county and borough councillor, David Bill, said it was “an appalling record”.
He said: “Every time this happens it causes disruption to both the rail and road networks and this invariably leads to congestion on the roads through our residential areas.
“When the system is running normally we have come to expect these incidents on a fortnightly basis and it really is unbelievable that Highways England has not yet come up with a solution.”
Dr Luke Evans, MP for Bosworth, recently asked the Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, to address the issue of the infamous rail bridge.
He also mentioned in his question a £20 million investment of Road Investment Strategy (RIS) 2 funds which have been allocated to improve that section of the A5.
Mr Shapps said in response: “I’m very sorry, Mr Speaker, that my honourable friend has the most-based bridge in Britain. It is something that we as a Government absolutely want to take away from him.
“That bridge in Hinckley has, I know, benefited from the £20 million that he mentions.
“The Office of the Traffic Commission has also written to all goods vehicle and public service vehicle operators warning them of regulatory action that will be taken if they fail to stop bashing into the bridge, and I can also assure him that Highways England are working to reduce the number of strikes.”
Dr Evans has also asked the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, for funding to improve the bridge.
Mr Milner said: “With a raft of new warehouses being built at Daventry terminal and Magna Park, the county council needs to carefully look at how diversions around Hinckley are managed.”