Southend Lane - Lower Sydenham Bridge

[maestro]

This bridge has just converted yet another double decker bus into a single decker, I would avoid the area for the next couple of hours whilst they get it recovered, the traffic is now total chaos as you might imagine.

[maestro]

All cleared away now and traffic back to normal, this was the 7th or 8th double decker that I have witnessed having had a major collision with this bridge in the 20 years I have lived here, lorries I long ago have lost count of! For anyone interested, this is the top ten league table of UK bridge strikes...........

1. A52 Barrowby Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire.
2. A2218 Southend Lane, Lower Sydenham, London SE26.
3. Whitehouse Road, Swindon, Wiltshire.
4. A142 Stuntney Road, Coldham Lane jcn, Ely, Cambs.
5. A3220 Latchmere Road, Latchmere jcn, London SW11.
6. A36 Warminster Road, Wilton, Wiltshire.
7. A505 Walsworth Road, Hitchin, Hertfordshire.
8. Springfield Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire.
9. A5006 Stoke Road, Stoke North jcn, Stoke, Staffs.
10. A73 Carlisle Road, Cleland, North Lanarkshire.

[ALIB]

only number 2?
It is, however, still a good effort.

This usually happens at Southend Lane when busses are diverted from their usual route, offloading passengers first.

Hopefully that is the case this time.

[Barty]

Interesting bridge bash stats maestro, where did you find them?

There's been one or two at Latchmeer whilst I've been at Southern

[maestro]

Interesting bridge bash stats maestro, where did you find them?

There's been one or two at Latchmeer whilst I've been at Southern

I saw the table in a car magazines (Auto Express) a few months ago (as a car nut I usually buy either that one or Autocar most weeks). I have also googled "UK bridge strikes" and there are quite a few in-depth reports on the problem, many including stats on strikes which confirm that table. The figures are compiled from reported hits, there will be many more happen that are simply never reported. Lorries often hit that bridge, but some just turn around and drive off despite having suffered substantial damage.

On this occasion, it was an open-top private hire double decker, light blue in colour, fortunately no passengers were on it. Perhaps on it's way to pick up one of the football teams who have gained promotion recently? Just a guess.

[eddy2]

there was another lorry stuck under the bridge this morning
right in the middle of rush hour.
you would think the large warning flashing lights he must have drove past at 2mph would have made him think twice.

[maestro]

there was another lorry stuck under the bridge this morning
right in the middle of rush hour.
you would think the large warning flashing lights he must have drove past at 2mph would have made him think twice.

The fun is when they hit it at 30mph! Those flashing lights have not worked properly for months and months now, on both sides of the bridge. They are only supposed to flash and display "over-height vehicle - turn back" on the matrix signs when an over-height vehicle has been detected. They must have spent thousands to install this magnificent warning system, but it was only working for a matter of weeks. The ones you see stuck are often foreign registered lorries, so presumably the drivers can't understand English anyway.

[eddy2]

maybe they should just put a big flashing red X over the bridge , even a foreign lorry driver must understand that

might be a bit too much like simply thinking i guess.

funny how they can't get those signs to work but have no problem with speed cams

[griffiths]

As someone who has driven very high HGVs and double decker buses I believe there is no excuse for drivers to hit low bridges. All the bridges have their height clearly shown and drivers should know the height of their vehicle which in most cases will also be shown in the cab.
Having said that isn't it about time now that we have reached the 21st century that the Lower Sydenham bridge was replaced with a wider structure to allow the continuation of Southend Lane in to the Bell Green one way system at the same width. At the same time the road could be lowered to permit vehicles of all heights to pass under it. A simple logical solution which should have been done years ago once horsedrawn vehicles departed the scene. However in spite of being one of the people who collectively put upwards of £50bn in to the treasury every year I am not holding my breath. Good old England!!

[lbere]

That should have been done when sava was being built!!!

[Muddy Waters]

Oh, yes - let's widen the bridge and lower the road and create the Catford by-pass

[eddy2]

if my memory is working, was sava not meant to do that bridge as part of the planning granted by lewisham for building that center in the first place ?

they backed out when they found out it would cost millions.

As i use southend lane three times a day every day i would love to see the right hand turn just under the bridge shut down once and for all.
the traffic is terrible going in and out that center to the point of blocking southend lane all the way past sedgehill road where i live.
its always been a bad road so i really don't understand why lewisham allowed them a right hand turn under the bridge they must have known what was going to happen ?

the center its self is good for the local area but the traffic it brings with it is another matter hoilday times are the worse southend lane is blocked from morning till night.

i would like to see what will happen if sainsbury's get the go ahead to move the homebase down there as well.
the road just won't cope at all.

[maestro]

Another one to the strike tally this morning, this time a Tesco lorry (every little helps!) has hit it at full pelt, ripping the roof off and leaving debris all over the road. Police traffic cars are on both sides of the bridge at the moment.

[Eagle]

My concern is not that the road closed but prpbably had to close the railway tending checks.
Hope the Tesco driver is severly punished. Probably on a mobile or listening to rap. Both equal crimes

[maestro]

And yet another on the tally today. Unusual to get reported, there's hardly a day goes past when it doesn't get clonked by something overheight.


http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/10748 ... am_bridge/

[bensonby]

I do believe drivers that hit the bridge are charged by the minute for the delays they cause to the trains and I also believe they are prosecuted for driving without due care and attention.

[maestro]

The majority of them seem to be drivers of foreign registered lorries who scarper pretty quickly, often leaving debris all over the road. Most hits never even get reported.

[maestro]

This bridge still gets clouted almost every day, it's unusual for one to get reported on.

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/12918 ... _Sydenham/

Edit:- pictures on Twitter.....

https://twitter.com/search?q=robbietee1985

[alburt.c]

i observs also so must to make biggar bridge ha ha

[alywin]

This bridge still gets clouted almost every day, it's unusual for one to get reported on.

A-ha. I suspected as much when I looked on Southeastern Journeycheck and noticed a distinct shortage of uncancelled trains on the further reaches of the Hayes line - despite a lack of SE actually admitting what had happened. Fortunately I spotted it in time and decided to go up on the Orpington-Victoria service instead.

If they *are* going to extend the Bakerloo line to Hayes, they'd better get this sorted.