Stagecoach has announced plans to roll out new bridge alert technology across its UK fleet of 8,000 buses.
As part of a £4m project, Stagecoach said it will strengthen existing measures in place to prevent bridge strikes by its fleet, which includes 3,800 double-decker buses.
According to the bus operator, the enhancement to its GreenRoad driver safety system uses GPS vehicle location data and mapping services to alert drivers to nearby low bridges.
If the technology determines that the bus is heading towards a low bridge, it will sound an in-cab alert that will allow the driver to navigate to a safe exit route that avoids the bridge.
Over the last eight months, Stagecoach has worked with GreenRoad to extend the telematics technology improving safety for its fleet around low bridges.
Stagecoach chief executive Martin Griffiths said: “Our country’s infrastructure includes many railway bridges designed in an era before modern transport vehicles went on the road, creating a safety risk.
“We have been working for many months with GreenRoad to design this important Low Bridge Alert enhancement to their proven safety technology, and are now implementing it to bolster the extensive measures we already have in place.”
Data from Network Rail shows that there were 1,714 railway bridge strikes across the country in the 2019-20 financial year. Whilst most of these incidents involved heavy goods vehicles, between 40 and 50 a year were related to buses.
According to Stagecoach, a single bridge strike costs more than £6,000 on average. Furthermore, in 2019-20 these incidents resulted in more than 7,800 hours of delays for rail passengers alone.
Following a 16-week software development phase, the technology and associated speakers will be installed on Stagecoach buses across the country by the summer.
