Barge hits bridge for the second time, reducing rail services
Train services between Alphen aan den Rijn and Gouda have been reduced to two per hour after a cargo barge hit the railway bridge over the river Gouwe.
Railway operator ProRail says the damage to the bridge needs to be repaired before full services can resume. One container on the ship, which was carrying mixed cargo including beer, was damaged in the accident.
The accident also has implications for shipping because the bridge cannot open which means no ships higher than seven metres can use the waterway.
The barge, the Gouwenaar 2, hit the same bridge in 2018, the AD reported.
Meanwhile, ProRail has also said that no trains will run between Leiden and The Hague until at least April 18, following this week’s fatal accident. The original start date for the resumption of normal services was April 11.
The damage to the tracks is so great that extra time is needed to carry out repairs, ProRail said.
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