UK Railway Bridge Partially Collapses After Lorry Strike, Causing Widespread Rail Disruptions

UK Police: Passengers on the West Coast Main Line faced widespread delays and cancellations after a railway bridge in Warwickshire partially collapsed when it was struck by a lorry. Services have resumed, but disruption is expected to continue as repair work progresses.

A major railway bridge in Warwickshire suffered significant structural damage after being hit by a lorry on Thursday, causing severe disruption on one of the UK's busiest rail corridors. The incident occurred on Marston Lane in Whitestone, near Nuneaton, forcing the closure of both the road and the railway line between Nuneaton and Rugby. The bridge partially collapsed following the impact, prompting an emergency response from multiple agencies.

Train services resume, but delays persist: National Rail said on Friday that the affected lines had reopened, allowing train services to resume. However, trains are operating at reduced speeds through the area, with passengers warned of potential cancellations, revised schedules and delays of up to 10 minutes. Officials said disruption was expected to continue until at least noon as engineers monitored the damaged structure and carried out safety checks.

Driver arrested after allegedly leaving crash scene: Warwickshire Police confirmed that a 64-year-old man from Coventry was arrested on Thursday evening in connection with the incident. According to police, the lorry driver allegedly left the scene without reporting the collision after striking the bridge. "Following an alleged collision between the driver of a lorry and the bridge, the driver left the scene without reporting the collision," a police spokesperson said. The man was arrested at around 5.10 pm on suspicion of endangering railway passengers and failing to stop after a collision.

Massive emergency response launched: Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service said it received reports of the incident at approximately 3.30 pm on Thursday. Four fire engines, including a specialist road traffic collision unit, were dispatched from Nuneaton, Bedworth and Coleshill. Firefighters worked alongside Network Rail and Warwickshire Police to secure the area before handing the scene over to rail authorities. Network Rail described the bridge as being "seriously damaged" but confirmed that no injuries were reported.

Commuters face travel chaos across network: The bridge collapse caused widespread travel disruption, with all train services between Nuneaton and Rugby suspended on Thursday. The knock-on impact was felt across several long-distance routes using the West Coast Main Line, leaving thousands of passengers facing delays and cancellations. While services resumed on Friday, rail operators warned that journeys through the affected section would remain slower than usual until repairs and safety assessments are completed.