Report 13/2011: Bridge strike and road vehicle incursion onto the roof of a passing train near Oxshott Station
Bridge strike and road vehicle incursion onto the roof of a passing train near Oxshott Station, 5 November 2010
At about 15:29 hrs on 5 November 2010, a lorry fell from the Warren Lane A244) road bridge onto the railway at Oxshott, Surrey, and struck the roof of a passing train. The lorry had collided with the bridge’s parapet and partly demolished it. Road users who witnessed the accident responded by contacting the emergency services and assisting the injured lorry driver who was trapped in the lorry’s cab.
The rear three carriages of the train were damaged and the rear carriage of the train derailed. One passenger, sitting directly beneath the point of impact, was seriously injured, and five other passengers received minor injuries. No other trains were involved.
RAIB has made two recommendations to the Department for Transport concerning issuing guidance for local highway authorities, two recommendations to Surrey County Council concerning highway safety inspections and safety measures at the bridge where the accident occurred, and one recommendation to Network Rail to enhance existing structural examinations at bridges carrying roads over railways.
Response to recommendations:
- RAIB will periodically update the status of recommendations as reported to us by the relevant safety authority or public body
- RAIB may add comment, particularly if we have concerns regarding these responses.