How to Avoid Low Bridges in the UK

Why standard sat-navs miss low bridges

Consumer sat-navs like Google Maps and Apple Maps are designed for cars. They have no concept of vehicle height — they'll route you under a 2.8m railway bridge in a 3.5m transit van without any warning. This is the root cause of the vast majority of bridge strikes in the UK.

Some HGV-specific sat-navs (TomTom Truck, Sygic Truck) do include height profiles, but their bridge databases are often incomplete or out of date. A 2024 investigation found that over 30% of known low bridge locations in Network Rail's database were absent from the major truck sat-nav platforms.

Step 1: Know your vehicle's height

This sounds obvious, but it's the most common source of mistakes. The nominal height of a van model (e.g. "Ford Transit — 2.47m") is not necessarily the height of the specific vehicle you're driving. Factors that change the actual height include:

• Roof bars and roof racks — easily add 10–20cm
• Roof-mounted air conditioning units (common on motorhomes and conversion vans)
• Satellite dishes and TV aerials
• Load overhanging the roof (timber, scaffolding)
• High-roof vs standard-roof variants of the same model

Measure your vehicle's actual height — including everything mounted on top — before every trip if there's any uncertainty. Use a measuring tape from the ground to the highest point.

Step 2: Plan your route before you leave

Route planning at home — not on the road — is the most reliable way to avoid bridge strikes. Once you're driving, decision-making is compromised by time pressure, unfamiliar roads, and passengers.

Using HeightWise (recommended)

HeightWise is purpose-built for UK height restriction routing. Enter your vehicle height, set your destination, and it calculates a route that automatically avoids all 4,573 height-restricted bridges in our database. It also shows width restrictions and weight limits, which matter for larger vehicles.

The route planner uses OSRM (Open Source Routing Machine) with a UK-specific bridge overlay. When a direct route would pass under a restricted bridge, it calculates the next best route with a minimum number of detours.

Checking specific bridges

If you're driving a known route and want to verify a specific bridge, use the HeightWise Bridge Database. Search by location, road name, or region. Every bridge page shows the exact clearance height, a location map, and which vehicle types can pass safely.

Other tools

• Google Maps with "Avoid low bridges" — available on mobile in the UK, but the database is incomplete. Useful as a secondary check, not a primary source.
• Waze — has some height restriction data but patchy coverage outside major urban areas
• Network Rail's bridge search tool — shows rail bridges specifically, useful for railway lines you're crossing

Step 3: What to do when you encounter an unexpected bridge

Despite best planning, you may encounter a restriction you didn't expect. This is most common on rural roads where OSM data is thinner, or where restrictions have been added recently.

If you see a height restriction sign ahead

1. Stop before you reach the restriction — do not proceed under the assumption you'll fit. Height signs show the minimum clearance; your vehicle height plus a safety margin must be less than this.
2. Check your vehicle height against the sign. If your vehicle height (including everything mounted on top) is less than the clearance shown, minus 15cm margin, you may proceed carefully.
3. If unsure, turn around — find an alternative route. No delivery or schedule is worth a bridge strike, the fines, the insurance claim, and the delay.

If you're already under a bridge and it's touching your vehicle

Do not reverse. The contact may be holding the bridge in a stable configuration. Call 999 immediately (for railway bridges) or the local highway authority. Network Rail's 24-hour helpline is 03457 11 41 41.

Step 4: Create a vehicle profile

In HeightWise, you can save your vehicle profile (height, width, weight) so you don't have to re-enter it every time. If you manage a fleet, create one profile per vehicle type. The route planner will automatically apply the correct restrictions for each profile.

Common mistakes that lead to bridge strikes

• Forgetting roof-mounted equipment — the most common cause of "didn't realise I was that tall"
• Following other vehicles — a van ahead doesn't mean a van behind will fit. Different body heights, different roof equipment
• Relying on Google Maps for commercial vehicles — it has no height restriction data
• Not allowing for road camber — roads crown in the middle. If you're driving on the crown of a narrow road, your actual clearance is lower than the sign says
• Ignoring warning panels on the approach — painted height markers on the road before a bridge are there for a reason
• Late delivery pressure — the number one reason drivers push on when they shouldn't. Plan earlier, leave a margin

Legal consequences of bridge strikes

A bridge strike is not a minor traffic incident. Depending on severity, it can result in:

• Criminal damage charges (especially for rail bridges, where damage can run to hundreds of thousands of pounds)
• Endangering public safety charges if a rail service is disrupted
• Unlimited fines
• Loss of operator's licence
• Civil liability for Network Rail recovery costs
• Insurance voidance if height restrictions were ignored

Network Rail can and does pursue civil recovery from operators. In 2023, a logistics firm was ordered to pay £148,000 in damages after a HGV struck a bridge on the East Midlands Railway, delaying 43 trains.

Summary: the three rules

1. Know your vehicle's actual height — measured, not nominal, including all roof equipment, plus 15cm margin
2. Plan your route with a height-aware tool — not Google Maps or Apple Maps
3. When in doubt, turn around — no time saving justifies a bridge strike