No Peterborough-Ipswich trains after lorry becomes trapped under bridge

The container on the back of the lorry has become wedged under the bridge in Saxham Road. Network Rail engineers are assisting with freeing the vehicle so that an inspection and repairs can be carried out and the line safely reopened. Passengers are advised to check how their journey will be affected.

Bridge strikes are a costly problem for the railway and can cause delays to train services and on the road network while damage is repaired.

Most of the vehicles that hit railway bridges are Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and buses, at a cost of around £13,000 per strike, costing the UK taxpayer around £23 million a year.

Ellie Burrows, Network Rail route director, Anglia, said: “There is no excuse to not know the height of your vehicle before starting your journey.

“As well as putting lives in danger on both road and rail and causing lengthy delays for passengers and road users, drivers who chance it at bridges are at risk of losing their licenses and leaving their employers with a hefty bill for repairs and train delay costs, along with a strong threat to their own operators licence.”