§ Lord Bradshawasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Macdonald of Tradeston on 16 January (WA 51–52), whether any form of physical restraint measures such as horizontal barriers just in advance of bridges have been considered 130WA as a means of preventing delays and potential damage to trains from bridge strikes. [HL1492]
§ Lord Macdonald of TradestonNetwork Rail advises that horizontal barriers in advance of bridges are not permitted by highway authorities due to their associated risk to other road users. Network Rail's new bridges are all constructed to withstand bridge strikes. Approximately 60 of its current bridges nave integral crash protection beams which minimise the effect of bridge strikes on the structure to enable trains to proceed at caution over the bridge.