A brand-new lorry has hit Gowerton’s Trafle Mill railway bridge, the third strike at the bridge Swansea Bay News has reported this year.
Footage posted on YouTube on Sunday morning shows the lorry, on a 76 plate issued only since September, under the bridge on Victoria Road. It appears to be carrying utility poles, with a red crane arm raised.
Within hours, campaigners had sent it to the Welsh Government planning inspector deciding whether 216 homes can be built at Fairwood Terrace.
TrolleyTec footage shows the brand-new lorry under the Trafle Mill bridge
The footage was filmed by local resident Mark Needs, who also caught April’s strike on camera, when a skip lorry’s lifting arm hit the bridge before the lorry crashed into a passing car and a post.
Swansea Bay News has asked Network Rail, Transport for Wales and South Wales Police what happened, and will add their replies when they come in.
Save Gowerton from Gridlock sends Sunday’s strike to the inspector deciding on Fairwood Terrace
Save Gowerton from Gridlock emailed the planning inspector at 12.24pm, asking for the strike to be added to the appeal record as “urgent late material evidence”.
The email was copied to Gŵyr Abertawe MS Mike Hedges and Swansea Council’s planning department.
The group says the strike happened in clear daylight. In its view, that proves the warning signs and flashing sensors at the bridge “are entirely ineffective at preventing human driving errors at this location”.
Persimmon’s plans include a signal-controlled junction where Fairwood Terrace meets Victoria Road, directly beneath the bridge.
The group told the inspector that putting a crossing and traffic lights there “introduces an unacceptable, un-modelled risk to human life”. It added: “A minor variance in vehicle speed, weight, or angle of impact next time could easily result in catastrophic pedestrian casualties on this narrow footway.”
Swansea Council refused the 216 Fairwood Terrace homes on traffic grounds
Swansea councillors refused the scheme on traffic grounds by a single vote in September 2024, against their officers’ advice. Persimmon and site promoter Urban Style Land appealed to Welsh ministers.
The group says Sunday’s tailback outside homes on Victoria Road backs up that reason for refusal, under policy PS2 of Swansea’s local development plan.
The appeal cannot be decided until Persimmon produces a full environmental study, and the group has already asked for a standalone risk assessment of the bridge.
Network Rail named Trafle Mill the most-struck bridge in Wales and Borders
Network Rail gave the bridge that title in 2020, after 33 strikes in ten years.
In August, a flooring firm’s lorry had its roof peeled open against the girders, halting trains between Swansea and Carmarthen.
We have also asked Network Rail how many times the bridge has been hit so far this year, and whether any further measures are planned.
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