Anger at 'mindless' vandals who defaced landmark Coventry bridge

[dutchman]

Network Rail says removing the graffiti on the Ferodo Bridge will mean closing the road and stopping trains



Network Rail has hit out at vandals as they say removing graffiti on a landmark Coventry bridge will be 'hugely disruptive'. The road below Ferodo Bridge will have to be closed while graffiti is removed, and trains will have to be halted.

What's most frustrating, a spokesman added in a statement, is that tags can reappear again within days after being removed.

Ferodo Bridge was vandalised towards the end of last year as locals shared their frustration at the 'mindless attack.'

Ferodo, which manufactured vehicle brake pads and developed the first modern brake friction materials, paid to advertise on railway bridges in the 1960s. A total of 12 bridges throughout the country were emblazoned with the name of the company.

Most were in London but Coventry, Ipswich and Stoke-on-Trent were also chosen. An advertising deal came to an end in 1998 when Ferodo, which was founded in 1897 by Herbert Frood, was taken over by Federal-Mogul.

Company bosses previously said they would like to keep the name on the city railway bridge for heritage reasons. Ferodo stopped paying for the advert on the bridge years ago but it was never painted over.

Only two railway bridges remain throughout the country with Federal-Mogul previously describing them as local landmarks. A number of residents have condemned the act of vandalism and say they hope the bridge can be cleaned and preserved.

[dutchman]

At least lorry drivers will no longer to be able to claim they don't know the height of the bridge!

Perhaps Network Rail will take the hint and now add proper warning signs?