Man left with £1000 bill after damaging car on Marlow Bridge

Bollards were installed on Marlow Bridge to deter HGVs from crossing the Grade-I listed structure more than 20 years ago and further width restriction features have been mounted onto them in recent years following a slew of weight limit breaches.

The increasingly narrow crossing space has caused its own fair share of problems, however, with non-HGV drivers struggling to squeeze through the boundary without sustaining costly damages to their vehicles.

Antonio D’Ettorre, who lives in Northolt but regularly stays in Marlow with his wife, had one such experience during a visit to the town last September.

The 66-year-old, who works as an engineer, said he drove across the historic structure on the morning of September 15 with no problem at all, but upon his return that evening, one bollard had been tampered with, reducing the width of the road and causing over £1000 worth of damages to his Rolls Royce.

He said: “The adjustment for the width on the bollards should have been secured with four bolts, but instead there was only one, making it easy for any vandal to restrict the width further.

“When we crossed in the morning, there was no problem and we got through with no damage, but in the evening, one side was completely dismantled. It’s obvious criminal negligence.”

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Both passengers’ side doors of the car were badly damaged in the incident and Antonio is now planning to take Buckinghamshire Council to court to hold them accountable for “poor maintenance” of the bridge.

“I returned last year to take photos so I could make a claim, but the council refused it. It’s a disgraceful situation and now I have no choice but to go through the stressful process of claiming through the courts.

“I was very fond of visiting Marlow and recommended the area to many friends, but I’ll avoid visiting it from now on. The council isn’t going to get any more money from me.”

Steven Broadbent, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport said: “We are unable to comment on individual claims or decisions, but all claims received are fully investigated. If a claimant is unhappy with the decision made, they can appeal, and the case will be reviewed. Additional evidence can be submitted for review as part of this process. Details of how to appeal can be found on our website.

“It is worth remembering that the bollards on Marlow Bridge are there to restrict large vehicles from entering to protect the structural integrity of the bridge. We urge all residents to keep in mind the three-tonne weight limit before attempting to cross the bridge.”