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Drink-drive arrest after car plunges on to tracks

Angela Ferguson
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 suspected drink-driver's car careered off the road and plummeted on to a railway line, causing massive disruption for passengers.

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

Network Rail said the crash, which happened in Salford in the early hours of Friday morning, caused "significant damage to the railway and overhead electric cables".

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the car's driver had been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and taken to hospital with injuries understood to be "serious but not life-threatening".

GMP A burnt-out and smashed car 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"

Network Rail said the line was expected to be closed "for the majority of the day".

It said: "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."

A spokesman said it would "take some time to remove the badly damaged car" from the tracks.

National Rail, which represents train operating companies, said disruption between Newton-le-Willows and Manchester Oxford Road / Manchester Victoria was expected until 13:00 GMT.

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 running at 30 minutes past every hour between Newton-le-Willows and Manchester Victoria. The last service will leave at 12:30 GMT.

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

National Rail said the incident was affecting the following routes:

  • 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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