A17 Heckington bypass partially closed after lorry carrying JCB struck bridge

The damage to the road bridge done by the JCB digger arm. Photo: Lincolnshire County Council EMN-151023-161027001

The westbound carriageway has been shut and would be for some time, according to police after the collision which was reported at 9.24am this morning (Friday).

A police spokesman said: “A lorry carrying a JCB digger has clipped the Kyme Road bridge and has done quite a bit of damage, causing bits of concrete debris to fall onto the carriageway.”

No-one appears to have been hurt but the collision damaged the digger arm which had clipped the bridge, knocking a hole in the masonry.

The damage to the road bridge done by the JCB digger arm. Photo: Lincolnshire County Council EMN-151023-161043001

He said: “Highways engineers have arrived at the scene and are sending for structural engineers to look at it and repair it.

“The road re-opened at 1.35pm but temporary traffic lights are in place. This will slow progress along the A17 even when the backlog of traffic from earlier today has cleared.

“It is therefore an area to avoid if possible.”

According to a highways department spokesman, traffic was earlier being diverted from the A17 through Heckington.

Ian Booth, senior engineer, said: “Our structures team have inspected the damage and our contractor, Kier are carrying out emergency works on the bridge to make it safe. Once that is done we will carry out a full assessment to see what further repairs are necessary.”