Alan Austen denies dangerous driving after M20 bridge collapse near Leybourne
10:35, 11 April 2017
The lorry driver charged after a pedestrian footbridge fell onto the M20 has denied dangerous driving.
Alan Austen, 63 and of Jedburgh Drive in Darlington, appeared at Maidstone Crown Court today charged with dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving after the structure was brought down at junction 4 for Leybourne on August 27.
VIDEO: Alan Austen denied the charges today
He pleaded not guilty to both charges and the trial date was set for February 19 next year.
The crash, during a bank holiday, brought 170 tonnes of concrete onto the London-bound carriageway when the route was being used by millions of drivers.
Motorcyclist Jim Shaw, 73, escaped with minor injuries after skidding sideways at 70mph beneath the falling debris on the motorway.
The bridge also crushed two lorries, a Hitachi excavator and a lorry and trailer, both worth £150,000.
The incident caused £1.5 million ofdamage and sparked a major operation involving dozens of police officers, firefighters and paramedics.
Austen was granted unconditional bail.
