Drivers costing CART money

IT HAS been estimated that bad driving, with vehicles hitting canal bridges is costing Canal & River Trust a great deal of money in repairs.

The dozy drivers causing repairs to such as the hump-backed bridges over waterways are costing in the region of £1 million a year in repairs, Alan Tilbury reveals.

Hit time after time

A spokesman for the Trust tells us that the Kennet & Avon Canal is one of the worst affected, with the same bridge hit time after time with drivers—many found over the legal alcohol limit—losing control and damaging the structure.

The many hump-backed bridges on the Trent & Mersey Canal are susceptible, with Deep Dale Bridge No 17 on a sharp bend particularly so, with its parapet damaged time after time as drivers in a hurry take the bend too fast. The problem of course is that they never stop or report the incident, meaning that they cannot be sued for the damage, resulting in CaRT having to pay for the repairs.

Culprit caught

One case where the culprit was seen was at Stenson Bridge on the same canal, where the tractor and trailer breaking through the parapet just could not get away.

One particular problem bridge has had a CCTV camera installed so that any incident is recorded, and efforts made to reclaim the costs of repairs.