A lorry has overturned after crashing into a railway bridge in south London, causing rush hour chaos on nearby trains and roads.
The lorry ended up on its side after trying to drive under the bridge on Upper Elmers End Road, near Elmers End station.
Train lines which would usually pass over the bridge, on the line between Charing Cross and Hayes in Kent, were blocked following the crash at around 2.15pm on Friday, National Rail said.
Many Londoners were left frustrated by the road closure and delays to trains, with Network Rail insisting it is “unforgivable” for the lorry driver to have ignored road signs and crashed into the bridge.
Upper Elmers End Road was closed off while the emergency services removed the lorry’s cargo and tried to clear the scene.
Police officers at the scene told the Standard the driver was uninjured but were not sure what had caused the crash.
The lorry remained tilted for several hours on Friday afternoon, propped up by a metal barrier, as engineers prepared to remove it.
Meanwhile, Network Rail staff were inspecting the bridge to see if there was any damage.
A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We became aware of a lorry striking a railway bridge close to Elmers End station at around 2:15pm this afternoon, following a report from a member of the public.
“This incident caused considerable delays and inconvenience to Southeastern passengers travelling on the Hayes line, while our engineers attended the scene and checked for damage on the bridge and that it was still safe for trains to pass over it.
“There is no excuse for driving a lorry into a railway bridge.
“Our bridges are clearly marked, and lorry drivers should always know the height restrictions of their vehicles.
“To ignore both and bash a bridge, causing disruption to passengers and road users, is unforgivable.
“We would plead with all drivers to know the height of their vehicle and, if in doubt about whether they can fit under a bridge, to always use an alternative route.”
It is not the first time a lorry crash has taken place at the railway bridge.
Another lorry also struck the same bridge in early September, bringing Southeastern trains to a halt.
Similarly, in 2015, a Halford’s lorry with the slogan ‘We Fit’ written on the side managed to get trapped under another railway bridge nearby, prompting Londoners to tell the company to find a new catchphrase.
