New sat nav system will help keep Shropshire bridges bash free

But now help is on hand, which could mean the railway bridge on Shrewsbury's Castle Foregate stays bash free.

Sat nav technology with extensive road mapping will be developed in a bid to prevent lorry drivers from ending up stuck down narrow lanes or under low bridges.

The product, created by Ordnance Survey, has received a £3 million funding boost from the Department for Transport.

The aim of the new database is to include information on the width, height and weight of roads.

Shrewsbury's bridge is just one of scores across Shropshire and the Midlands that have been damaged by lorries.

Fears have been raised that repairs to the grade I-listed bridge over the River Teme could be expensive and that the closure could hit trade in the town centre.

A stretch of wall on the 15th century Ludford Bridge on the main southern route out of Ludlow centre towards the A49 and Leominster was badly damaged by a lorry earlier this year.

A low bridge in Craven Arms at the south end of Clun Road, just off the A49, also also another black spot for accidents involving lorries. Further afield, a lorry ended up trapped under a railway bridge near Sandwell and Dudley train station in September. Another lorry misjudged a bridge in Rugeley, Staffordshire, in May, causing long train delays.

A spokesman for Ordnance Survey, said: "Having a complete picture of every road will result in high-quality data being supplied to satellite navigation companieswho manufacture devices for HGVs and cars. The data is combined with information on heights, widths and weights captured by Ordnance Survey as part of our continuous role to accurately survey and maintain the geographic database for Great Britain.

"We are confident that the product will deliver customer data needs in one location, allowing more informed and confident decision making."

The data also includes information on speed limits and planned road maintenance.