MP asks for cash ‘to fix most bashed rail bridge’
AN MP has asked the Chancellor for funding to fix “Britain’s most-bashed” railway bridge.
The bridge, between the Hammonds Way and Dodwells island roundabouts on the A5, was struck on average once a fortnight in the past year by tall vehicles – causing delays for rail passengers and forcing HGV traffic through Hinckley.
Responding to Rishi Sunak’s Spending Review speech, Luke Evans, MP for Bosworth, said: “In light of the difficulties the country faces with its finances, I was pleased to see the commitment to infrastructure, but is he aware of the Hinckley bridge on the A5 which has been named the most-bashed bridge in Britain?
“It’s been hit 25 times and causes a delay of six hours every time.
“This is a prime example of pinch points littered up and down the A5 which strangles productivity.
“So will he commit to providing funds to the likes of the A5 to bring prosperity to the Midlands and grow our economy out of the Covid situation?”
Mr Sunak said taking action on the bridge was “a very good example of the type of project our new Levelling Up Fund would be interested in and I look forward to discussing it”.
Tory MP Dr Evans said he would be contacting the Treasury immediately to ask for the Chancellor to make some time to discuss financial support.
He said: “Rishi is doing a wonderful job of resetting the economy in the wake of Covid and I support him wholeheartedly.
“At the same time, I won’t ever stop making the case for Hinckley and Bosworth and the people who elected me.”
Dr Evans has previously met roads minister Baroness Vere and written to the Secretary of State for Transport to highlight issues on the A5.
Hinckley county and borough councillor, David Bill, said of the bridge strikes: “Every time this happens it causes disruption to both the rail and road networks and this invariably leads to congestion on the roads through our residential areas.
“When the system is running normally we have come to expect these incidents on a fortnightly basis and it really is unbelievable Highways England has not yet come up with a solution.
“I have been raising this issue on a continuous basis for as long as I can remember but there seems to be an attitude that the A5 can be improved to a dual carriageway virtually everywhere along its route until we come to Hinckley.”