Hinckley A5 bridge strikes 'cost economy thousands' per year

Drivers regularly misjudge the 4.6m (15ft) bridge in Hinckley

New research has calculated the cost to the economy of repeated strikes to a railway bridge in Leicestershire, once dubbed "Britain's most-bashed".

The crossing, over the A5 near Hinckley, was hit by high vehicles 88 times between 2017 and September 2022.

Transport body Midlands Connect analysed four of those incidents and found the resulting traffic delays cost the economy a combined £126,000.

It also calculated the cost of rail delays for 10 incidents during 2019.

In those cases, nearly 4,000 rail passengers were delayed, costing the economy an estimated £43,000.

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Midlands Connect said the regular collisions at the Watling Street bridge had caused more than 4,400 hours of road delays each year.

It added the real cost of the bridge strikes could be significantly higher than the figure calculated, since only a selection of incidents had been analysed and it did not account for the cost of journeys diverted on to other roads, or journeys cancelled due to the disruption.

A scheme to lower the road was approved by councillors last month.

Stuart Bray, Liberal Democrat leader of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, called for more "significant investment in this part of the A5 corridor" to alleviate "untold misery to local businesses and residents".

"The impact of these bridge strikes is felt across the Midlands in terms of disruption, delay and ultimately economic cost when this happens," he said.

Luke Evans, Conservative MP for Bosworth, said he met roads minister Richard Holden to "yet again discuss ways to improve the A5", adding he was "pleased" by the recent application to lower the road.

"Every time it is struck it causes huge disruption, delays and diversions, costing the taxpayers both time and money," he said.