Huge bill for
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bridge bash
• A Birmingham ownerdriver faces a £100,000 compensation bill after he crashed into a West Midlands railway bridge, closing the busiest commuter rail services in the Midlands for nearly three hours. Glyn Payn had been an owner-driver for just two days when his Dar hit the bridge in Summer Road, Erclington. Track operator Railtrack says the delays cost it more than £600 a minute.
RaiItrack is investigating the incident and says: "RaiItrack Midlands will be sending out a letter of liability to the driver and will be seeking compensation."
A number of accidents at the site, including a death in 1991, prompted the local highways department to install a warning system at a cost of 240,000: it confirms that the system was in operation at the time of the incident.
Payn, who has been treated for shock, says: "I saw the signs but earlier that day I had gone under a bridge with a height limit of 13.3ft—the Summer Road bridge has a limit of 14.0ft, so I didn't worry about it."