A major Birmingham railway route was closed again after a lorry struck a bridge – the third strike at the same location in two months. A heavy goods vehicle hit the railway bridge in Summer Road in Erdington, at around 10am today, Tuesday, January 7, days after a similar incident at the same bridge.
West Midlands Railway confirmed the Cross City Line was closed on the northbound section serving Erdington, Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield from Birmingham New Street for around an hour. National Express West Midlands was accepting train tickets on bus services between those locations during the disruption and that was due to continue for a short while as trains got back to normal.
The same bridge was hit by a lorry shortly before 11am on Friday, January 3, again blocking the busy commuter rail route. An initial strike, which led to a lorry overturning and the driver being charged with drink-driving took place on Friday, November 8, shortly after midday.
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West Midlands Railway posted on X: “Line blocked between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley. Due to a lorry striking with a bridge near Erdington, the line is blocked. Trains may be cancelled, altered, or delayed.” Network Rail said it was en-route to ‘check the bridge is safe’.
National Express West Midlands confirmed it was accepting rail tickets on its PB 64, 65, 66, 67, 907, 907A, X3, X4, X5, X14, X64, WA6, X15 services between Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield ‘until further notice’.
The bridge was later deemed safe and services resumed. In an update shortly after 11am, West Midlands Railway said: “Trains are now able to run on the Cross City North but at a reduced speed. There may still be delays and cancellations so please plan ahead and allow plenty of time when travelling.”