WHAT caused a car to plunge over a railway bridge killing the driver instantly was under investigation last night.

The driver died when the silver Skoda left the road, ploughed through a brick built bridge and down an embankment towards a railway line.

Emergency services were on the scene in Fair Oak just after 12.35pm on Thursday. Police and ambulance crews managed to reach the upturned wreckage but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Fire crews were also on the scene after initial reports that the man was trapped inside, but there was little emergency services could do when they arrived.

An investigation was immediately launched to establish what caused the car to come off the road at Allington Lane, close to the junction with Hogwood Lane.

Last night police were appealing for witnesses to come forward with information.

A spokeswoman for Hampshire Constabulary said next of kin have been told but they will not be releasing the name of the deceased until formal identification procedures are completed.

Those who use the well known cut-through between Fair Oak and West End, told of their shock at news of the fatal crash.

Cyclist Steven Lidell, 52, from Eastleigh said: “I was just passing through for an afternoon bike ride when I saw the road closed sign and asked someone what had happened.

“It’s shocking. It sounds like it was quite a dramatic incident and a horrible scene – it’s very upsetting to think something like this could happen so close to home.

“I understand there are some concerns about that bridge because there’s no way of knowing who is doing what, perhaps more safety measures should be put in place.

“My heart goes out to the family.”

The entire length of Allington Lane was closed while investigations were carried out yesterday afternoon.

A Hampshire police spokesman said that their investigations would centre on what caused the car to leave the road and early investigations had not yet established whether any other car was involved.

Recovery work began to remove the wreckage from the tracks with a crane brought in and used to hoist it onto a flat bed lorry to be taken away for further examination.

It was wrapped in tarpaulin and removed around 4pm.

Highways engineers were then on the scene to repair the damaged wall with rubble being cleared by hand which had been left strewn down the embankment. Meanwhile the railway network was disrupted as all trains were diverted away from the line between Eastleigh and Fareham South West Trains reported that all services were unable to run between Fareham and Eastleigh as a result, and diversions were put in place.

The road was reopened on Thursday evening.

  • Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 101 quoting incident number 440 from 9/6/16.