A LORRY became stuck under the bridge on Wootton Bassett Road, closing the A3102 this morning.

Motorists were warned to expect delays as recovery teams extracted the Lenham Lorry, which hit the bridge before 8am and later toppled onto its side.

Traffice was being diverted by police, who said the road was reopened just after 4pm having been shut for more than eight hours.

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: "We got the call at 7.50am to a lorry on its side. Road closures are in place and the road is expected to be closed for several hours. 

"Swindon Borough Council/highways putting in diversions.

"No serious injury to driver of lorry."

A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service said they had attended the scene and treated one patient at the scene. No hospital treatment was required.

Earlier reports that the road has now been reopened have proved unfounded. The lorry was recovered at 2.18pm.

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police confirmed that the road was still closed at 1pm this afternoon, and it was anticipated to remain closed for a couple of hours longer while the vehicle is recovered.

The lorry driver was not arrested.

Congestion is reported to Blagrove Roundabout and on the B4006 to Bruce Street Roundabout, with long tailbacks of traffic.

Thamesdown Transport had diverted their Eastbound (West Swindon to Town Centre) services 1, 1a and 27 via Great Western Way and Paddington Drive (Bridgemead). 

Westbound services (Town Centre to West Swindon) remained on their normal route.

There are severe delays for Stagecoach routes 8, 9 and 55.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "As a safety precaution trains were instructed to pass over the bridge at 5mph, this led to three trains being slightly delayed.

"Our engineer was on site within 15 minutes and conducted an inspection, the outcome of which was that there was no damage to the bridge and so normal service resumed."

A Swindon Borough Council spokesman said: “The bridge is protected by laser beam sensors on the approaches, which detect any vehicle that is too tall and activate flashing warning signs to the driver.

"Vehicles are then advised to divert, either along Penzance Drive or Redposts Drive, depending on the direction the vehicle is going.

"There are also conventional signs on the approach, and on the bridge itself there is a height warning sign and a yellow and black warning bar.

"It’s difficult to know what more can be done to stop it happening.”

Former Swindon Borough Council leader Rod Bluh posted on the Adver's Facebook page: "There can be absolutely no excuse for lorry drivers not knowing the height of their vehicles and being able to read the height signs.

"The operators should not only pay for damage to bridge and for emergency vehicles but also compensate those affected by the disruption."

Last February a Sparks Transport lorry became wedged under the bridge and began tilting sideways, in what have been a series of bridge strikes over the years. The driver was unhurt in the incident.

Notable accidents include August 2001, when two lorries hit the bridge in one day.

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In November 2010 a Wilkinsons driver was fined £85 for colliding with the bridge.

On January 22, 2013, a 32-tonne truck became stuck after its driver miscalculated the height and claimed the bridge signs were faulty.

A Mr Kipling’s cakes truck’s arched roof was ripped off later that year after a driver, apparently confused by his sat-nav, crashed into the bridge.

In January 2015 an Oak Furnitureland lorry hit the bridge, with the trailer striking the top and having to be cut up so the vehicle could be freed.

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  • The lorry on its side today after hitting the Wootton Bassett Road bridge. Below, drivers were delayed as traffic queued in the area. The road was shut for more than eight hours. Pictures by Thomas Kelsey

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