Campaign to prevent “low bridge” collisions

WARRINGTON-based transpot company Eddie Stobart is supporting a national campaign to reduce the number of accidents involving heavy lorries and low bridges.
With five such incidents happening across the county every day, the company is backing the “wise up, size up” campaign spearheaded by Network Rail.
The aim is to encourage drivers to fully understand the size of their vehicles and plan their route to avoid hitting low bridges.
Research carried out by Network Rail, revealed 43 per cent of lorry drivers admitted to not checking the height of their vehicle before heading out, with 52 per cent admitting to not taking low bridges into account when planning their journeys.
Eddie Stobart is educating its own drivers on how to wise up and size up their lorry by using a toolkit provided by Network Rail, which offers advice on educating drivers around the impact of strikes.
The majority of vehicles that hit low bridges – often railway bridges – are heavy goods vehicles.
Dave Pickering, chief operating officer at Eddie Stobart, said: “We are pleased to be supporting the ‘wise up, size up’ campaign and have already been working hard to educate our drivers on how important it is to know the height of their vehicles, as well as carefully planning their routes to avoid hitting low bridges.
“By reminding our drivers of the correct behaviours to follow at multiple times during their shift, through branded posters and reusable coffee cups, air fresheners, key rings and vinyl stickers for their cabs, we hope to keep them ‘bridge aware’ at all points of their journey.”
Sir Peter Hendy, chairman of Network Rail said: “Not knowing the size of your vehicle or load could lead to a serious accident, and the loss of your licence.
“Through partnering with Eddie Stobart and other key haulage companies and trade bodies such as the Road Haulage Association to spread our message, we aim to bring the issue of to the forefront of everyone’s minds and reduce the number of bridge strikes.
“Every incident creates potential delay for tens of thousands of passengers and potential costs for taxpayers, and this is happening multiple times a day. It’s only a matter of time before road or rail users are killed as a result. We need professional HGV drivers and their operator employers to get behind and support this campaign to eradicate bridge bashing.”
To learn more about the ‘wise up, size up’ campaign and bridge strikes visit: www.networkrail.co.uk/wiseupsizeup