A lorry crashed in to the railway bridge in Norbiton before 4pm this afternoon, halting trains for an hour causing road blocks and tailback traffic around Galsworthy Road and Coombe Lane.

The top and side of the lorry were ripped off and police and firefighters closed the road.

Witness Paul Harris said: "I've never seen a traffic jam like it."

It's not the first time the bridge has been struck, with at least two other accidents in the last year.

Mr Harris said: "The height of the bridge is marked out, but it isn't on the bridge itself it is on the side of the road where drivers may not be looking."

South West Trains services were stopped between Kingston and Norbiton for about an hour while the Network Rail incident response unit inspected the bridge was safe for trains.

Buses K2, K3, K4 and 514 were all diverted via London Road and Kingston Hill.

The last incident in 2006 at this bridge was involving an Arriva London Rail replacement bus service, which had its roof completely torn off after it collided with the bridge.

There were no injuries as passengers saw the loom danger and ran downstairs.

Following this incident in 2006, the height restriction warning on the Kingston side of the bridge was removed and placed to the right of the bridge, mounted on a wall.

The sign on the Kingston Hospital end of the bridge remains over the road, mounted on the bridge.