Network Rail has secured £50,000 in funding to trial innovative technology aimed at minimising disruption caused by bridge strikes on the East Coast Main Line. The initiative will focus on the Harlaxton Road bridge near Grantham, a frequent target for vehicle strikes.
The project will involve the installation of cameras and sensors on the bridge. This advanced monitoring system will provide real-time alerts and access to crucial data and video footage following a strike, significantly accelerating the inspection process.
Currently, bridge strike inspections require engineers to physically visit the site, which can be time-consuming. The new technology will enable rapid assessments, minimising delays to train services and reducing the financial impact of these incidents.
Michael Clegg, Network Rail route engineer, said: “We work tirelessly to reduce the needless disruption caused by bridge strikes, which nationally cost the British rail industry about £20m a year in delays, cancellations and repairs.
“While we know we cannot prevent all future incidents, this technology will cut the inspection time after a bridge strike from hours to seconds in many cases.
“This means we can have trains running again much sooner after a bridge strike, providing a boost to the reliability of the railway and saving potentially hundreds of thousands of pounds.
“We will also continue our efforts in other areas of our campaign against bridge strikes, including making proactive visits to haulage companies to encourage lorry drivers to plan routes carefully and check vehicle heights.”
The Harlaxton Road bridge, situated beside six converging roads, has been identified as a high-risk area. Despite the presence of prominent signage, chevrons, and protective beams, the bridge has been struck 11 times in the past nine months, including three incidents within a single week in November. These strikes have resulted in over £600,000 in damages and delays.
Following a successful trial, Network Rail plans to implement this technology at other vulnerable bridges across the Grantham area and beyond.
