Tipper truck gets wedged under motorway gantry – causing traffic chaos as M5 is closed in both directions
- Lorry got wedged under M5 gantry near Bristol at around 8.20am this morning
- Motorway shut in both directions after crash with delays of an hour expected
A crash caused traffic chaos this morning after a lorry got wedged under a motorway gantry in a bizarre vertical position causing the M5 to be closed in both directions.
The baffling crash, which occurred when a tipper truck collided with the overhead sign on the M5 near Bristol, caused delays of at least an hour in both directions.
Police officers arrived at the scene around 8.20am and said that there were miraculously no injuries despite what one motorist described as ‘carnage’.
Following the crash the M5 was closed northbound between Junction 18A and Junction 17, and southbound between Junction 17 and Junction 18. The motorway is not expected to reopen until tomorrow.
Part of the vehicle was wedged under the gantry in lane one, but it has since been removed.
A tipper truck collided with an overhead gantry on the M5 near Bristol, causing delays of at least an hour in both directions
Police and highway maintenance at the scene after the crash on the M5 this morning
Workers removing the tipper truck which collided with an overhead gantry on the M5 motorway this morning
At least one sign attached to the structure fell onto the road, and all other signs on the gantry were disrupted as electrical cables were severed.
Hydraulic fluid spilled onto the carriageway from the lorry which has resulted in the recovery operation being lengthy.
Motorist Sam Greenslade said: ‘Lorry lost its tipper and wedged under the gantry.
‘Also one of the speed signs is on the road between middle and fast lanes.
‘Will be carnage in a bit.’
Queues have formed from Junction 17 A4018 to Junction 18 M49 on the M5, towards Bristol Airport.
Officers and National Highway workers have remained on the scene as the vehicle and debris were removed from the road surface
Workers clearing the road after the crash on the M5 near Bristol this morning
Part of the tipper truck was wedged under the gantry in lane one of the M5 this morning after the incident, but it has since been removed
Officers and National Highway workers have remained on the scene.
Ray Morwood, South West Operations Manager for National Highways, said: ‘The M5 has been closed to protect the travelling public and we’re working as quickly as we can to assess the gantry damage and make safe the signage and fittings.
‘The incident has occurred on a busy section of the M5, we are working with our police partners, and we appreciate this will cause significant delays to people’s journeys.
‘In the meantime, we advise people to add a little extra time for their journeys, and to consider alternative routes where they can.
‘We thank all drivers for their co-operation and patience and we’re working quickly to establish timescales for repair and recovery work.’
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