UK: M20 bridge collapse causes travel chaos

[rooster59]

UK: M20 bridge collapse causes travel chaos

 

 

A pedestrian bridge collapsed onto a UK motorway on one of the busiest travel days of the year.

 

Ariel footage showed the fallen bridge over the M20 London-bound carriageway on Saturday (August 27).

 

Police were treating it as a “major incident.”

 

The bridge ripped through two trucks that appeared to be passing below when it fell.

 

The M20 is the main road to Dover and the Channel Tunnel to France. It’s also popular with people heading to Gatwick and Heathrow Airport.

 

One motorcyclist was injured and taken to hospital with suspected broken ribs.

 

An official from the UK highways agency expected the road to be closed for some time in both directions.

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2016-08-28

 

[canuckamuck]

Shoddy third world construction practices.

Oh wait!

[robblok]

11 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

Shoddy third world construction practices.

Oh wait!

 

Things are going down the drain after the Brexit. All those Polish that maintained the bridges and did menial labor are forced out and there are no Brit replacements. Oh this will get ugly soon Thai standards will seem to high to obtain. (made in jest dont flame)

 

But I like that this shows that construction errors happen all over the world 

[sandyf]

7 minutes ago, robblok said:

 

Things are going down the drain after the Brexit. All those Polish that maintained the bridges and did menial labor are forced out and there are no Brit replacements. Oh this will get ugly soon Thai standards will seem to high to obtain. (made in jest dont flame)

 

But I like that this shows that construction errors happen all over the world 

Misleading headlines and everyone jumps to conclusions. I saw it on the news last night and a witness said a lorry had shot down the hard shoulder and struck the bridge. Maybe the driver was Polish.

 

On Saturday afternoon, the situation intensified when traffic on the M20, the main route to the Channel tunnel and the port of Dover, was brought to a halt after a lorry hit a pedestrian bridge and it collapsed near the junction with the M26, forcing the closure of the motorway between junctions three and four.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/27/long-road-delays-expected-over-record-breaking-bank-holiday

[ChrisY1]

10 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Misleading headlines and everyone jumps to conclusions. I saw it on the news last night and a witness said a lorry had shot down the hard shoulder and struck the bridge. Maybe the driver was Polish.

 

On Saturday afternoon, the situation intensified when traffic on the M20, the main route to the Channel tunnel and the port of Dover, was brought to a halt after a lorry hit a pedestrian bridge and it collapsed near the junction with the M26, forcing the closure of the motorway between junctions three and four.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/27/long-road-delays-expected-over-record-breaking-bank-holiday

Thanks Sandyf for clarifying......

[robblok]

15 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Misleading headlines and everyone jumps to conclusions. I saw it on the news last night and a witness said a lorry had shot down the hard shoulder and struck the bridge. Maybe the driver was Polish.

 

On Saturday afternoon, the situation intensified when traffic on the M20, the main route to the Channel tunnel and the port of Dover, was brought to a halt after a lorry hit a pedestrian bridge and it collapsed near the junction with the M26, forcing the closure of the motorway between junctions three and four.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/27/long-road-delays-expected-over-record-breaking-bank-holiday

That just shows how much we can trust the news. A police friend of my always told me not to trust the news. Incidents where he has been were totally different then in the paper (they need to make it more spicy to sell)

 

Cant blame us for the faulty reporting. 

[ClutchClark]

Did the lorry with the low-boy trailer exceed the bridge clearance and impact it?

[halloween]

47 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Misleading headlines and everyone jumps to conclusions. I saw it on the news last night and a witness said a lorry had shot down the hard shoulder and struck the bridge. Maybe the driver was Polish.

 

On Saturday afternoon, the situation intensified when traffic on the M20, the main route to the Channel tunnel and the port of Dover, was brought to a halt after a lorry hit a pedestrian bridge and it collapsed near the junction with the M26, forcing the closure of the motorway between junctions three and four.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/27/long-road-delays-expected-over-record-breaking-bank-holiday

 

That may have been what the news said, but if you look at the OP photo the bridge support is well back from the hard shoulder (as would be expected!) and from what can be seen of the cab, it appears relatively intact.

[ddavidovsky]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

 

Things are going down the drain after the Brexit. All those Polish that maintained the bridges and did menial labor are forced out and there are no Brit replacements. Oh this will get ugly soon Thai standards will seem to high to obtain. (made in jest dont flame)

 

But I like that this shows that construction errors happen all over the world 

 

Anti-Brit schadenfreude. You're giving yourself away.

[robblok]

Just now, ddavidovsky said:

 

Anti-Brit schadenfreude. You're giving yourself away.

You can't read.. the remark was made in jest.  (Polish havent left and its far to short a period of time to have bad maintenance) . Guess you can't make fun of Brits too thin skinned.  I specifically put made in jest behind it to make sure people like you would not flame me. Guess humor is lost on you.

[SgtRock]

Surprised that they never found unexpected guests in the back of the trucks.

[stevenl]

11 minutes ago, ddavidovsky said:

 

Anti-Brit schadenfreude. You're giving yourself away.

Naw, Britain is not important enough anymore to be anti-Brit.

[MJP]

2 hours ago, robblok said:

 

Things are going down the drain after the Brexit. All those Polish that maintained the bridges and did menial labor are forced out and there are no Brit replacements. Oh this will get ugly soon Thai standards will seem to high to obtain. (made in jest dont flame)

 

But I like that this shows that construction errors happen all over the world 

 

The 7 Billion quid extra investment into UK construction by our "EU" client off the back of Brexit . . . begs to differ.

[robblok]

6 minutes ago, MJP said:

 

The 7 Billion quid extra investment into UK construction by our "EU" client off the back of Brexit . . . begs to differ.

 

Lets hope it works for you guys not going to get involved in a Brexit no Brexit discussion. But i joked as the period since Brexit is far to short to have maintenance differences or increases. 

[robblok]

1 hour ago, halloween said:

 

That may have been what the news said, but if you look at the OP photo the bridge support is well back from the hard shoulder (as would be expected!) and from what can be seen of the cab, it appears relatively intact.

I think we can accept what the British police said, I don't expect a cover-up there over a bridge that collapses. Here in Thailand I might not always accept what the police says but in general in European countries you can trust the police and their statements. 

[mca]

6 minutes ago, robblok said:

 but in general in European countries you can trust the police and their statements. 

 

That's utter BS mate.

 

Giant steps are what you take
Walking on the moon
I hope my legs don't break
Walking on the moon
We could walk forever
Walking on the moon
We could live together
Walking on, walking on the moon

Walking back from your house
Walking on the moon
Walking back from your house
Walking on the moon
Feet they hardly touch the ground
Walking on the moon
My feet don't hardly make no sound
Walking on, walking on the moon

 

Bloke isn't even a bloody astronaut!

[halloween]

1 minute ago, robblok said:

I think we can accept what the British police said, I don't expect a cover-up there over a bridge that collapses. Here in Thailand I might not always accept what the police says but in general in European countries you can trust the police and their statements. 

 

I would accept a UK police statement, but I have so much rubbish written in newspapers that I always allow a little scepticism. I also use my eyes. There is no way a truck in the break-down lane could hit the support, and if it hit the span the lane is irrelevant. As it also appears relatively undamaged, can I suggest it ended up in the break-down lane as a result of smart braking.

[robblok]

2 minutes ago, mca said:

 

That's utter BS mate.

 

Giant steps are what you take
Walking on the moon
I hope my legs don't break
Walking on the moon
We could walk forever
Walking on the moon
We could live together
Walking on, walking on the moon

Walking back from your house
Walking on the moon
Walking back from your house
Walking on the moon
Feet they hardly touch the ground
Walking on the moon
My feet don't hardly make no sound
Walking on, walking on the moon

 

Bloke isn't even a bloody astronaut!

 

Sorry I am not that mistrusting of law enforcement in Europe. At least Western Europe that is. 

[robblok]

4 minutes ago, halloween said:

 

I would accept a UK police statement, but I have so much rubbish written in newspapers that I always allow a little scepticism. I also use my eyes. There is no way a truck in the break-down lane could hit the support, and if it hit the span the lane is irrelevant. As it also appears relatively undamaged, can I suggest it ended up in the break-down lane as a result of smart braking.

 

Just read the larger article .. something about the truck jackknifing (if I understand that correct) it could mean the back end came in front of the front and hit the bridge. I find the explanation far more plausible then a bridge collapsing for no apparent reason. 

[Andaman Al]

11 minutes ago, halloween said:

 

I would accept a UK police statement, but I have so much rubbish written in newspapers that I always allow a little scepticism. I also use my eyes. There is no way a truck in the break-down lane could hit the support, and if it hit the span the lane is irrelevant. As it also appears relatively undamaged, can I suggest it ended up in the break-down lane as a result of smart braking.

 

Sigh!

 

Sherlock, the top of the lorry hit the bridge. The top of the lorry has been sliced off including damage to the cab. The bridge came down on the back end of the vehicle stopping it in its tracks, no smart braking, just 40 tons of concrete making its way through the truck starting at the cabin.

 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/08/27/17/37A0930E00000578-3761261-image-a-20_1472315422172.jpg

 

 

 

 

Edited August 28, 2016 by Andaman Al

[andyg75]

The jib of the digging machine on the back of the truck struck the bridge bringing it down

[halloween]

4 minutes ago, robblok said:

 

Just read the larger article .. something about the truck jackknifing (if I understand that correct) it could mean the back end came in front of the front and hit the bridge. I find the explanation far more plausible then a bridge collapsing for no apparent reason. 

 

I was disputing the claim that said " a lorry had shot down the hard shoulder and struck the bridge. "

While the truck in the break-down lane seems intact, the full article claims " the back end of the lorry was in pieces. "

[halloween]

3 minutes ago, Andaman Al said:

 

Sigh!

 

Sherlock, the top of the lorry hit the bridge. The top of the lorry has been sliced off including damage to the cab. The bridge came down on the back end of the vehicle stopping it in its tracks, no smart braking, just 40 tons of concrete making its way through the truck starting at the cabin.

 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/08/27/17/37A0930E00000578-3761261-image-a-20_1472315422172.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

Yes Watson, but that is NOT the truck in the break-down lane, is it?

[Andaman Al]

3 minutes ago, halloween said:

 

Yes Watson, but that is NOT the truck in the break-down lane, is it?

 

 

You are disputing Police and/or press reports that a truck hit the bridge, saying it could not have hit the supporting strut which is way back from the road. Nobody said it hit the supporting strut, you made that assumption. The top of the truck hit the bridge. All clear now?

Edited August 28, 2016 by Andaman Al

[overherebc]

1 minute ago, Andaman Al said:

 

 

You are disputing Police and/or press reports that a truck hit the bridge, saying it could not have hit the supporting strut which is way back from the road. Nobody said it hit the supporting strut, you made that assumption. The top of the truck hit the bridge. All clear now?

The top of the truck was ripped off when the bridge fell on it after being struck by a machine on a low loader on the hard shoulder.

The driver of the truck was shaken but not hurt.

Just to add, why didn't the truck hit any other bridges peviously, I've got it, because the previous bridges hadn't been struck by a machine on a low loader travelling in the emergency lane.

 

 

Bigger Sigh.

[elgordo38]

4 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

Shoddy third world construction practices.

Oh wait!

Just another example to show you that budget cuts are threatening infrastructure. Your on your own.

[wirat69]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Ariel footage showed the fallen bridge over the M20 London-bound carriageway on Saturday (August 27).

Wow, the Brits have advances technology that the rest of the world was ignorant of!!!

 

Uranus and its five major moons are depicted in this montage of images acquired by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. The moons, from largest to smallest as they appear here, are Ariel, Miranda, Titania, Oberon and Umbriel. The planet Uranus has 27 known moons, most of which we didn't discover until the space age.

[williamgeorgeallen]

3 hours ago, ClutchClark said:

Did the lorry with the low-boy trailer exceed the bridge clearance and impact it?

read another report that said the driver had left the trucks radio antenna fully extended despite some signs warning of low clearance. wonder if the driver did a runner.

[DipStick]

Reading all the media, it would appear a low loader was carrying a vehicle with a jib, this in the inside lane, the jib hit the underside of the walkover bridge ( not a pillar) this caused the section to collapse, the brunt of the collapse was felt by the White truck causing extensive damage. It is also reported at the time of the collapse, a motorcyclist was alongside the damaged truck and he threw himself on the ground to protect himself,N and was the only one who suffered injuries, supposedly a few broken ribs.

[halloween]

46 minutes ago, overherebc said:

The top of the truck was ripped off when the bridge fell on it after being struck by a machine on a low loader on the hard shoulder.

The driver of the truck was shaken but not hurt.

Just to add, why didn't the truck hit any other bridges peviously, I've got it, because the previous bridges hadn't been struck by a machine on a low loader travelling in the emergency lane.

 

 

Bigger Sigh.

Amazing the amount of damage to that machine. In fact, it doesn't even have a spot of dust.