Another incident has occurred at the Tinwald Viaduct, the most frequently struck rail bridge in the country. This time, a campervan had its roof sliced off while driving beneath the low-clearance viaduct in Canterbury. The viaduct had only recently reopened after undergoing repairs from a previous accident.
Police responded to the incident around 3.15pm on Wednesday, where the campervan collided with the viaduct, resulting in the loss of part of its roof. Following this, a vehicle towing a caravan also faced difficulty passing through the viaduct, causing traffic disruption as it had to reverse back onto Melcombe Street.
The Tinwald Viaduct, with a clearance height of 2.39m, has been identified by KiwiRail as the most frequently hit rail bridge in the country. It had just reopened in December after being closed for repairs due to a previous major incident involving an excavator being towed on a trailer.
Since the completion of the repairs, KiwiRail has received reports of another bridge strike, highlighting the ongoing issue of vehicles colliding with the viaduct. The council is taking steps to address the problem by installing additional signage and road markings to alert drivers, particularly campervans and caravans, about the low clearance of the viaduct.
Social media posts following the campervan incident have reignited discussions on potential prevention measures. Suggestions include installing a gantry or implementing a full closure of the viaduct. However, the question of responsibility and funding for such measures remains unresolved, given that the rail bridge is a KiwiRail asset under council jurisdiction.
