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Bridge fencing safety doubts

15th August 2002
Page 5
Page 5, 15th August 2002 — Bridge fencing safety doubts
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IP Road safety campaigners are calling for immediate improvements to the fencing around motorway bridges following an investigation into the Selby rail crash in which 10 people died.

Independent transport consultants TRL say the disaster would probably never have happened if safety fencing protecting the approach to the bridge near the crash site had been longer.

The Land Rover and trailer which ended up in the path of a Newcastle to London train mounted the verge of the M62 about 50m before the fencing around the motorway bridge over the railway had started.

Standard motorway bridge fencing is not designed to withstand impact from anything greater than a large car travelling at 73mph. In the Selby accident, the Land Rover and trailer combination was clearly above this capacity, making it difficult to assess whether additional fencing would have stopped the vehicle. But the Till report states: "It is considered highly likely that some containment would have occurred." This would probably have been enough to stop the vehicle reaching the railway line, it adds.

The Highways Agency says that the risks of a similar accident are still being assessed and it would be wrong to have a knee-jerk reaction to the crash.

Brian Barton, the agency's safety strategy manager, says a safety review of more than 500 bridges that cross railways is nearing completion. Risk assessment of bridges where safety levels are questionable will be completed by the end of the year. "We have to have a measured and balanced approach. We believe that the Highways Agency motorway and trunk road bridges do not require urgent and immediate action."

But Mary Williams, chief executive of road safety organisation Brake, says urgent action needs to be taken in memory of the 10 people who died in the accident in February,

2001.

Tags

Organisations: Highways Agency
Locations: London, Newcastle

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