Britain’s ‘most bashed bridge’ lives up to its reputation as camper van gets stuck

The camper van wedged under Ely's rail bridgePictures: Emma Banks Wright (Image: Archant)

A camper van became wedged under the Station Road bridge, in Ely, shortly after 2pm after appearing to ignore the numerous warning signs and florescent markers.

The bridge measures 9ft at its centre, but slightly less on the slopes that lead in and out.

Recovery crews were called to remove the camper van from under the bridge, opening the road to traffic again.

The railway bridge in Ely is the victim of regular strikes, causing long delays for motorists as recovery crews have to be called to retrieve stricken vehicles that have become wedged under it.

The bridge has a notorious reputation for being hit – the record year being 2010 when it was hit 16 times by motorists unaware of or ignorant of the height restrictions.

In that year, it was dubbed ‘the most bashed bridge’ in Britain by Network Rail following a spate of accidents involving lorries, caravans and camper vans. Late last year, Cllr James Palmer, leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council, promised to “look again” at the possibility of improving the early warning signs in front of the bridge and vowed to raise the matter with Conservative party leaders at Cambridgeshire County Council.

He said: “I will, of course, speak to the leader of the county council on the matters raised and although I am aware that this issue has been looked at in the past, I am sure they would be worthy of re-examination.”