Network Rail is pleading with HGV drivers to know the height of their vehicle after a bridge in Birmingham was struck three times in one week.
On the third occasion, an ambulance was dispatched after the trailer roof was torn off under the Erdington bridge and a pedestrian was struck by debris.
The railway bridge was first hit this year on 3 January before an HGV struck it again just before 10am on Tuesday (7 January).
After being inspected and given the green light to safely reopen, it was then bashed for a third time around two hours later.
Network Rail said the first lorry on Tuesday did not stop but the second (pictured) had its trailer roof ripped off and was left hanging over the road, causing disruption to local people and motorists.
It said all three incidents caused delay and disruption to passengers on the Cross City line between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley.
A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “We were called by the police to reports of a lorry which had collided with a bridge on Summer Road, Erdington at 12.12pm on Tuesday 7 January.
“One ambulance and a paramedic officer responded to the scene. The lorry driver, a man, was checked over and was found with a minor injury. He was discharged on scene.
“A pedestrian, a woman, who was hit by debris during the collision, was also assessed on scene.
“She received treatment for injuries before being conveyed to Good Hope Hospital for further precautionary checks.”
Network Rail operations director Martin Colney said drivers needed to get to grips with the height of their vehicles, proper route planning and never relying on sat-navs or map apps to be up-to-date for bridges and height restrictions.
“There is no excuse for driving a lorry into a railway bridge,” he said.
“Our bridges are clearly marked, and lorry drivers should always know the height restrictions of their vehicles.
“To ignore both and bash a bridge, causing disruption to passengers and road users, is unforgivable.
“We are looking into what might have caused this recent spate of bridge bashes but I plead with all drivers to know their vehicle restrictions and if in doubt about whether they can fit under a bridge to always use an alternative route.”
The most recent statistics showed there were a total of 65 bridge bashes across the West Midlands between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024, contributing to 8,838 minutes of delays for rail passengers – more than six days in total.
The top three bridge strike locations across the West Midlands were Cradley Road in Cradley Heath, Station Road near Berkswell station, and Birmingham Road in Warwick, which racked up a total of 10 incidents between them.
