Arrest after Nuneaton Bridge collapse disrupts Warwickshire rail
A 64-year-old man was arrested after the nuneaton bridge partially collapsed in Whitestone, Warwickshire, when a lorry hit it on Thursday. Warwickshire Police was called to Marston Lane at 15:30 BST, and the crash shut the road between Forders Lane and Nuneaton Road.
Police said the man was arrested on suspicion of endangering a railway passenger and failure to stop following a collision. No-one was injured, but Network Rail said the bridge was seriously damaged.
Marston Lane, Whitestone
The incident blocked the core railway line between London and Scotland via the West Midlands and affected West Coast Main Line services. Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway services were both disrupted, with the lines between Nuneaton and Rugby reopening on Friday.
Even after that reopening, trains between Nuneaton and Rugby were running at a reduced speed on Friday and could still be cancelled, revised or delayed by up to 10 minutes. Network Rail said disruption was expected until at least 15:00 BST on Friday.
Network Rail bridge strikes
Network Rail said there were 1,666 reported bridge strikes between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, and most involved lorries and buses. It said bridge strikes cost about £13,000 each time and about £23m in repairs in a year.
Passengers with tickets dated for Thursday could use them on services on Friday, and anyone who no longer wished to travel because their train was delayed or cancelled could request a full refund. For travellers using the Nuneaton and Rugby section, the practical change was simple: the line had reopened, but journey times and reliability were still affected through Friday afternoon.
Warwickshire Police
Research for a campaign found more than two-fifths of lorry drivers admitted not measuring their vehicle before heading out on the road, and 52% said they did not take low bridges into account. That leaves the same pressure point exposed at the place where road traffic and rail infrastructure meet.
