Bridge strikes are a serious problem warns senior traffic commissioner

Bridge strikes by HGVs are a serious problem for the industry and are attracting unwanted attention from Westminster, according to senior TC Richard Turfitt (pictured).

He said the impact of a strike stretched much further than structural damage and was leading to frustration and anger among commuters. The senior TC also appeared to hint that moves to come down hard on companies for failing to route their vehicles correctly could be in the pipeline.

At the Woodfines road transport conference, Turfitt said: “We can joke about the stupidity of drivers but this is becoming a very serious problem for the industry. It’s attracting political attention. It’s creating a huge amount of problems for the public, with passengers sitting on trains for hours.”

He added: “You need to make sure route planning is done properly. Control the route, your operation and instruct your drivers properly. Otherwise I will take action.”

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