[article] Another truck strikes bridge

[Navan Junction]

Irish Times, Wed, Apr 26, 06

Dart services were briefly disrupted yesterday morning when a truck carrying a high load hit Custom House Quay bridge, according to Iarnród Éireann.

Yesterday's collision at 10.30am is the 71st time a truck has struck the bridge in the last 10 years.

It follows a similar incident this month in which an articulated truck carrying various parts of a tower crane managed to get wedged under the bridge at Custom House Quay.


Spokesman for Iarnród Éireann Barry Kenny last night described the Custom House Quay bridge as "the most-struck bridge in Dublin".

Dart services were delayed for 15 minutes as the bridge was surveyed to ensure that no serious damage had been caused.

"Truck-drivers are giving less attention to the height of the loads they are carrying, and this lack of attention is leading to these unnecessary incidents," said Mr Kenny.

"Drivers need to be aware of the height restrictions. It's basic rules of the road."

He added that the implementation of penalty points and a new rail safety Bill would make it easier for Iarnród Éireann to prosecute those who failed to take note of height restrictions.

Meanwhile at 4.15pm yesterday a 40ft truck overturned at the entrance to Dublin Port causing the East Wall Road to be closed off for a time. Derek Ryan of AA Roadwatch said traffic along the quays was "seriously affected".

© The Irish Times

[James Shields]

I know it's the truck driver that's at fault, but there seem to be a limited number of bridges that seem to be struck over and over again, with each strike causing delays on the train line. Wouldn't it be better to take a "prevention is better than cure" approach, and construct gantries in front of the most hit bridges?

This was done quite effectively when there was a height restriction at the Port Tunnel works.

[PaulM]

Originally Posted by lostcarpark

I know it's the truck driver that's at fault, but there seem to be a limited number of bridges that seem to be struck over and over again, with each strike causing delays on the train line. Wouldn't it be better to take a "prevention is better than cure" approach, and construct gantries in front of the most hit bridges?

Where do you think this is, Germany?

[Mark Gleeson]

Originally Posted by Irish Independent

Rail fury over truck bridge collisions
Paul Melia

IARNROD Eireann hit out at the stupidity of lorry drivers as figures revealed that some 691 "over-sized" trucks have hit railway bridges in the last five years.
A major accident is "waiting to happen" because of the alarming spate of accidents according to rail chiefs in Dublin and around the country.


So far this year there has already been 52 incidents.

They are now the main cause of delays on the Dart line.

Last night a frustrated rail spokesman said that unless truckers paid more attention to the height of their loads the potential for a "serious situation" existed.

In the latest incident yesterday a heavy goods vehicle struck the Customs House Bridge on the northside of Dublin, causing major traffic delays until it was removed. It was the 70th time the bridge has been struck.

"It's another example of gross stupidity on the part of the driver not being aware of the height of the bridge," the spokesman said. "This bridge is probably the most struck in Dublin.

"The potential is there for a very serious situation if structural damage does occur. If a train arrives, there's potential for a very serious problem indeed.
"On New Year's Eve 1975, a lorry struck the Clogh bridge five miles south of Gorey and five people were killed because of something like this." Since 2001, there have been 691 cases of over-sized trucks hitting railway bridges in Dublin city and at other locations.

The annual cost of inspecting bridges after accidents runs to €500,000 per year, but Iarnrod Eireann have also replaced bridges which have been repeatedly struck.

A bridge at Sixmilebridge on the Ennis to Limerick line was replaced in 2004 at a cost of €2m, while the East Wall bridge in Dublin was replaced in 2001 at a cost of €20m.

"We've improved our signage to show the height of the bridge. We've probably had a reduction in the number of strikes this year, and there's been a lot of investment in safety, but truck loads are getting higher and higher," the spokesman said. "If a bridge is hit, an inspection crew is dispatched to check and see if it is safe." But yesterday the Irish Road Hauliers Association claimed that the rail company could install a laser system where the height of trucks would be automatically read on the approach to particular bridges prone to accidents.

"Iarnrod Eireann have to wake up a bit," spokesman Jimmy Quinn said. "Laser readers could be mounted on the way to the bridge, say at Liberty Hall, and if the beam is broken, a stop sign would flash up and tell drivers to stop because their truck is too high."

Meanwhile, in a separate development, a 40ft truck overturned on the East Wall Road at the entrance to Dublin Port yesterday causing traffic chaos.

© Irish Independent 2006
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independe...issue_id=13963

[ACustomer]

"Iarnrod Eireann have to wake up a bit," [trucker] spokesman Jimmy Quinn said. This must qualify Quinn for the Brass Neck of the Year award. WHat about his own dopey, lazy, incompetent drivers? Why is it not law to have the truck height marked in the cab as a reminder (as with Dublin Bus vehicles).

[Mark Gleeson]

Dublin Bus did gain a few single decker buses through the years so I'm sure its a safety step, that said the height is only obvious on the AV class bus

Issue is simple if you are the driver you are responsible for your vehicle no amount of gadets will stop these bridge strikes. The bridge heights are well known.

There have been far to many close incidents down the years, there was a very very close call in Dunleer some years back where the track shifted and a local IE staff member managed to stop an oncoming train with a hand lamp

With something like the loop line there is a train every 2-3 minutes during the rush hour odds are high a train will pass over before the call is received, thankfully the loop line bridge is unlikely to be damaged if struck

The big fear is a heavy strike on one of the 1834 built arch bridges between Pearse and Barrow Street that could shut the DART down for weeks