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Drink-drive arrest after car plunges on to tracks

Angela Ferguson & Ian Shoesmith
BBC News
BBC / Michelle Adamson An upside down, crushed car lies on a railway line, with debris all around it.BBC / Michelle Adamson
The car's driver has been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving

A major rail route will remain closed until at least 22:00 GMT after a suspected drink-driver's car careered off the road and plummeted on to the tracks.

Northern, TransPennine Express and Transport for Wales services have all been hit as a result of the line being blocked between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly.

Network Rail said the crash, which happened in Salford at about 02:00 GMT , caused "significant damage to the railway and overhead electric cables".

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said a man in his 30s had been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and taken to hospital with injuries not believed to be either "life-changing or life-threatening".

GMP A burnt-out and smashed BMW lies on its roof on the railway line. Debris is scattered all around the wreckage. The photograph was taken at night, with only the car wreckage illuminated.GMP
The driver has been taken to hospital with injuries described as "serious but not life-threatening"

While work to recover the BMW from the tracks has now been completed, it will take considerably longer to repair the damaged railway infrastructure.

Shortly before 12:00 GMT, a Network Rail spokesperson said: "There has been significant damage to the overhead lines which will take at least 8 hours to repair once the site has been cleared.

"We anticipate the earliest possible time the lines can reopen is 22:00."

Map showing location of the railway and where the car crashed on to the tracks - an inset shows the route of the Chat Moss line from Manchester to Liverpool

With Manchester United set to take on Leicester City in an FA Cup tie kicking off at 20:00, the Network Rail spokesperson issued a warning to football fans heading to Old Trafford.

"We would ask passengers travelling to the Manchester United game to check before they travel.

"We're really sorry to any passengers affected by this incident and urge anyone planning to travel by train between Liverpool and Manchester to plan ahead and check with their train operator for the latest travel information."

GMP A person in hi-vis clothing walks past pink barriers that have been erected near the point where the car crashed through a wall and plunged down on to the railway line below.GMP
The car plunged onto the railway line near the busy Regents Road roundabout in Salford

Reporting from the scene, BBC Radio Manchester's Michelle Adamson said: "The car has gone through two trees - I don't know how as the gap is literally the width of the car.

"The concrete from the barrier the car went through is about four inches (10cm) thick and a slab of concrete has fallen on to the track.

"I've seen a team putting climbing gear on and abseiling from the bridge which the car crashed through this morning. They have been inspecting for damage to its structural integrity.

"There is debris, including glass and wires, everywhere."

Clear-up begins after Manchester-Liverpool rail line crash

GMP said there was still a police scene in place on Regents Road at 12:00.

The force said it was continuing to work with British Transport Police and Network Rail to conduct initial enquiries.

National Rail, which represents train operating companies, said disruption between Newton-le-Willows and Manchester Oxford Road / Manchester Victoria was expected "until the end of the day".

Rail replacement bus services have been organised, the details of which are on the National Rail website.

Northern Rail customers have been advised that they can use their ticket on rail replacement bus services.

The following routes have been affected:

  • Liverpool Lime Street-Manchester Airport (Northern)
  • Wigan North Western-Manchester Victoria (Northern)
  • Chester-Leeds (Northern)
  • Chester-Manchester Victoria (Northern)
  • Liverpool Lime Street-Manchester Victoria (TransPennine Express)
  • Liverpool Lime Street-Hull (TransPennine Express)
  • Liverpool Lime Street-Newcastle (TransPennine Express)
  • Lancaster-Manchester Airport (TransPennine Express)
  • Chester-Manchester Airport (Transport for Wales)
  • Llandudno-Manchester Airport (Transport for Wales)
  • Llandudno-Manchester Oxford Road (Transport for Wales)
  • Holyhead-Manchester Airport (Transport for Wales)

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