Major infrastructure repairs are set to cause an extended period of disruption after a lorry struck a railway bridge in Rutland, rail leaders have warned.
Train services between Leicester and Peterborough are “likely” to be disrupted for around three weeks, as engineers go about safety repairs so rail services can run safely and securely again.
Gary Walsh, East Midlands Route Director for Network Rail, said: “We’re very sorry for the ongoing impact this incident is having on passengers. Our teams are doing all they can to carry out these extensive repairs quickly and get trains moving safely again, but unfortunately it is likely to take around three weeks.
“During that time, passengers check before they travel and leave extra time for their journey. We’re working with our partners across the industry to divert freight trains wherever possible and keep vital goods moving around the country.”
The crash is not an isolated incident with figures suggesting that, between the 1st of April 2020 and the 31st of March 2021, there were more than 1,600 bridge strikes across the network – in response to this, Network Rail has been running the Wise Up, Size Up campaign for the last four years, urging drivers to be wary of the size and dimensions of their vehicle and to plan accordingly before choosing a specific route for their journey.
John Robson, Regional Director for East Midlands and East Anglia for CrossCountry, said: “CrossCountry would like to apologise to our customers for the disruption caused by this incident. Where possible, we will run a rail replacement bus service, but we urge customers to check our website before travelling for the most up to date information about their journey.”
More information on replacement services, and the crash itself, is available here.
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