A RAILWAY bridge in Runcorn has been listed in the top 20 of the most struck railway bridges in the north west.

Halton MEP Chris Davies is campaigning for safety equipment to be fitted to the bridge which would help to reduce the chance of further crashes and wants to see tougher penalties brought in for drivers who do crash.

The bridge has been hit four times in the past two years and brings the total tally of crashes at the site to 32.

Nationally, the rate at which a bridge is struck is around once every five hours, causing delays for train passengers.

In the past year alone, repairs cost more than £1 million after accidents on the West Coast Main Line.

Among the measures suggested include fitting a warning system that flashes a danger sign to any vehicle too high to safely fit under the bridge.

More than 30 per cent of bridge strikes recorded by Network Rail are due to drivers not knowing the height of their vehicle.

At present there is no legal requirement for local councils responsible for highway control to warn drivers of potential risks of low railway bridges, but Mr Davies is backing a call by Network Rail for the introduction of minimum level of signage.

He also wants the penalty imposed on drivers who strike railway bridges to be increased from three points to six points, with other sentences possible at the discretion of the courts.

Anyone who sees a bridge being hit by a vehicle should contact Network Rail by contacting the number on the plate attached to the bridge then notifying the police by calling 999.