A Suffolk railway bridge has lost its title as the most-bashed in Britain but remains in the top 10. 

The bridge in Coddenham Road, Needham Market, which was named the most bashed last year, has now been named as the tenth most collided-with in the whole of Britain. 

Data from Network Rail has revealed it had been hit a total of 10 times by road vehicles in the last year.

Network Rail's chairman Sir Peter Hendy said: “Bridge bashers cause serious safety issues on the transport network for both road and rail users.

“Every incident can delay tens of thousands of passengers while we inspect the bridge and repair any damage – creating a huge cost from public funds.

“During this very busy time of year for deliveries, we urge operators and drivers to properly plan their routes, know the height of their vehicles and be vigilant for road signs showing the height of bridges.

“We will report those who don’t to the traffic commissioners, and they risk losing their licenses and livelihoods.

“Network Rail always looks to recover the entire repair and delay costs from the driver and the operator.”

There were a total of 1,833 bridge strikes across Britain’s rail network in 2021/22, according to Network Rail.

They cost the Government-owned company nearly £12 million in compensation payouts for delays.

The number of strikes was up 13% compared with the previous year, coinciding with an increase in traffic.