A5 at Hinckley reopened after lorry strikes railway bridge

The A5 at Hinckley reopened by 4.40am on Thursday 12 November after police closed it when a lorry struck a railway bridge. The closure affected the stretch between Nutts Lane and Dodwells Road.

At 2.30am, a Leicestershire Constabulary spokesperson said the road was “closed until further notice” and asked drivers to find another route. Police later confirmed it had reopened.

The bridge, named Britain’s ‘most bashed bridge’ earlier this year, has been hit by tall vehicles nearly 30 times since March 2025. Lorries also became stuck beneath it in July and August 2026. The July collision was reportedly the second bridge strike there within 24 hours.

A scheme to lower the road beneath the bridge by 51cm is intended to give tall vehicles more clearance. It received planning permission in 2023, but Network Rail had not approved the detailed plans by 4 October 2026.