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Traffic chaos after accident
Tuesday 28th July 2009, 2:26PM BST.
Firefighters work to free one of the drivers after two refuse lorries collided at Trench Lock, Telford. Picture: Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Two bin lorries crashed at a Telford roundabout today trapping one of the drivers for about 90 minutes and causing traffic chaos.
The cab of one truck was crushed in the impact with the second bin lorry.
It happened shortly after 10.10am at Trench Lock.
The driver, who was in his 40s, had to be cut free from the vehicle and was airlifted to Birmingham’s Selly Oak Hospital with lower leg injuries.
A male passenger in his 30s to 40s, who was also in the Telford & Wrekin Services refuse lorry, was taken by ambulance to Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital with suspected shoulder or back injuries.
A second male passenger from the same vehicle suffered minor injuries, but did not need hospital treatment.
A box lorry travelling ahead of the refuse trucks was also believed to have been involved in the smash.
Part of the Trench Lock interchange was closed for about three hours while emergency services worked at the scene, causing lengthy tailbacks in the area.
Jon Waggstaff, assistant chief fire officer, said firefighters had to pull apart the two vehicles before they could attempt to free the trapped driver.
A Telford & Wrekin Council spokeswoman said the two refuse lorries had been on their way to collect rubbish in the Wellington, Leegomery and Dothill areas.
She said any bins in the area not collected today would be emptied tomorrow.
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I have to commend the services for their handling of the traffic disruption caused by this incident. By 1.30pm you’d never have know anything had occured and the policewoman redirecting at the Wombridge Road junction was very courteous about letting me carry on down Trench road for my lunch break at home. I hope all parties involved are okay and send my best wishes.
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I came across this island just after 9am this morning and there had been another accident there involving a cyclist. An ambulance was already in attendance. As a regular user of this road over many years I have seen the problems caused by the trafic lights at this island and the ones that have been installed further down the A442. These so called road improvements just seem to have caused are more accidents and more traffic congestion. The money would have been far better spent in other areas. I hope all involced make a speedy recovery.
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to be honest that roundabout is a death trap why do the council keep thinking sticking lights up makes things better and spending millions on making the roads worse than they were before everyday i see people there in the wrong lane cutting across and turning right when they are ment to be going towards newport that road and the majority of roads in telford are a joke!!!
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The Trench Lock island traffic flow is a disgrace. I wouldn’t be surprised if the the traffic flow actually improved as a result of the traffic having to be directed manually for a while.
Whoever designed this must have been under the influence of mind-altering subtances at the time…
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I’m getting ever so bored of the phrase “Traffic Chaos” now.
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Daniel Morris… Please explain why it is a death trap? You may not like the new layout, but its far from dangerous and seems to work quite well. Most people don’t like change, but seem to be unable to have the courtesy to explain their opinions with any justification.
People using the wrong lane cannot be blames on the road layout. The layout, markings and signage could not be better! What needs improving is road users!
I hope all concerned in this accident have a speedy recovery!
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Big Matty, i’m assuming you don’t use the junction often.
I do however agree some drivers need educating… Keeping in mind your comment on “the layout, markings, and signage could not be better” also keeping in mind there are some idiots on the road…why, would you create the new part of the A518 link a 2 lane that merges straight into one after such a short distance it encourages racing!
All the lights are out of sync. They should be trying to dispurse the heavy traffic, not hold 20 cars to give way to 3.
Personally traffic lights are a bad idea…they encourage robotic driving, they take control from the driver making them lazy….more responsibilty needs to be but back to the driver, and them punished for their irresponsible mistakes.
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Andy, I use it most days and also used it daily previous to the recent changes. The 2 lane area could be improved by making it longer, but it doesn’t encourage racing! However, the whole layout seems to work very well and better than before.
Currently there are an abundance of clear and easy to read signs, road names painted on the roads, markings for each lane….. how can anyone possibly get that wrong? We seriously need to revise the driving test in this country and regularly re-test!!!
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