Plans to Fix "Britain’s Most Bashed Bridge" Under Review

Highways officials are examining a long-delayed project designed to prevent tall vehicles from striking a low rail bridge on the A5 Watling Street near Hinckley, often described as “Britain’s most bashed bridge.”

Originally, the road-lowering work was scheduled for March 2024, but construction has yet to begin. National Highways has said a technical review of the scheme will take place in the coming weeks, with hopes that work could start later this year. However, local councillors have expressed concern that the “highly complex” project may not be feasible.

The plan, approved in June 2023 as part of permission for a new logistics park, will be funded by developer Mountpark, which is collaborating with National Highways on final designs.

Hinckley and Bosworth councillor Paul Williams highlighted the technical challenges: lowering the road could approach the water table, creating potential flooding risks on this busy route. “This is complicated and is the main cause of delays,” he said. “If the review shows the scheme can’t proceed, we are back to square one.”

Network Rail data shows the A5 bridge was struck 22 times between April 2024 and March 2025, confirming its status as the country’s most frequently hit bridge. Williams added that each collision causes significant traffic congestion and urged lorry drivers to take care with tall vehicles.

Councillor Ann Pendlebury warned that the logistics park could open before the bridge work is completed, emphasizing the need for urgent action.

National Highways programme development manager Ian Doust said: “Safety is our priority. We have worked with the developer to ensure the design meets the highest technical standards and will be delivered with minimal disruption. This is a complex engineering solution and lowering the road must not compromise the bridge or drainage systems, especially with changing weather patterns. Traffic levels must also be considered to ensure work can be completed safely.”

Doust added that the design is now ready for technical approval and work is planned for later this year, noting that careful scrutiny is essential to make the road safe and resilient for the long term.