An historic humpback canal bridge near Preston has suffered its 11th vehicle strike in five years. The Canal & River Trust says the Lancaster Canal has seen the most bridge strikes across its 2000 miles of waterways and is calling on motorists to take more care.
Repeated Damage to Stone Chimney Bridge
AN historic humpback canal bridge near Preston has been hit by an 11th vehicle strike in five years, leading the Canal & River Trust to call on drivers to take more care.
The Lancaster Canal has seen the most bridge strikes across the whole of the trust’s 2000 miles of waterways. Over the last two years, the charity has paid out more than £500,000 to repair 10-plus bridges along the 41 miles of canal, many of which are Grade II-listed.
Stone Chimney Bridge, on the Lancaster Canal, was damaged twice in last year, the latest crash happening just weeks after repairs were completed and the bridge reopened following an earlier strike by an HGV. Since January 2025, four bridges have been hit by vehicles, causing extensive damage and inconvenience to boaters and residents in Carnforth, Forton, and Woodplumpton.
Canal & River Trust Statement
Bill Froggatt, the trust’s heritage advisor, said: “Humpback bridges such as these are an iconic part of Britain’s canal network. However, due to the large number of rural, narrow roads crossing the Lancaster Canal, its bridges suffer more collisions than anywhere else in the country.
“The most recent strike on Stone Chimney Bridge caused significant structural damage to the masonry, which once again requires vital conservation and repair work.
“All these bridges are part of the canal’s special character and heritage. Each time one is hit, a small piece of history is lost.”
Historic Bridges and Repair Costs
The trust cares for about 2800 historic canal bridges in England and Wales. Most were built in the 18th and 19th centuries, long before the advent of modern vehicles, making them vulnerable to strikes by wide or speeding traffic.
Every year, vehicle strikes cost the charity more than £1 million, meaning vital funds are diverted away from work to conserve the nation’s waterways, and many of the incidents go unreported. Now, the trust is calling on motorists to slow down when driving over the region’s historic canals.
Bill added: “We desperately need motorists to take more care. If everyone driving over these bridges took things slower and paid more attention, then we could save these priceless pieces of our canal history from being badly damaged, as well as saving a lot of inconvenience to boaters and local communities and cost to our charity.”
Ongoing Repair Works
Contractors worked to repair Ratcliffe Bridge 75, near Forton, in December and were due to start work on Stone Chimney Bridge 31, in Woodplumpton, as this issue was being prepared for press. The navigation and towpath are still open.
