Teen beauty spot drinkers are ramblers, not rebels
- Dave Burrows
Shrewsbury lorry fire causes traffic snarl-up
Friday 11th June 2010, 9:30AM BST.
The lorry fire at Shrewsbury. Picture: Mark Booth
Motorists faced hours of severe tailbacks on Shropshire’s road network today after a lorry carrying a cargo of hay caught fire at a roundabout.
Traffic was snarled up in both Shrewsbury and Telford as a westbound section of the A5 and an entrance off the M54 were closed following the fire, which engulfed the HGV and its trailer.
See our photo gallery to the right and read the full story in today’s Shropshire Star
The male lorry driver was unhurt in the incident, which happened just before 5am at Emstrey island in Shrewsbury.
Firefighters were still battling the blaze well into the morning with the road still closed this afternoon. Motorists suffered miles of tailbacks due to the fire.
Chris Ammonds, spokesman for Telford police, said: “We have experienced quite a lot of increased traffic around Telford and we closed off the entrance to the M54 to stop people joining the queue and adding to the problem.
“There have been a number of calls from the public who have said it is causing them a problem getting around but unfortunately there is very little we can do.
“People deserve credit for adhering to the temporary measures but it has certainly had an impact around Telford.”
Maria Wilkinson, spokeswoman for West Mercia Police, today said the road had been closed westbound between Emstrey and Preston islands, which was causing “heavy congestion” in both directions and on surrounding roads into Shrewsbury, such as Sundorne Road.
She said police officers were directing traffic and the council’s highways department was working to put diversions in place.
Firefighters, equipped with breathing gear, used four hose reel jets and two main jets to tackle the fire.
Sponsored Links
Most Commented
- Leader: Hospital parking suggestion simply nonsense
- Leader: Crimewave goes up with the mercury
- MP Owen Paterson opposed to same-sex marriages
- Teen beauty spot drinkers are ramblers, not rebels
- Hospital 18-week waiting list down to 800
- Parking zones fear for Shropshire hospital workers
- Protesters: We await problems at Shropshire hospitals
Shropshire Star on Twitter
Keep updated with the latest breaking news and content on our Twitter feed.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Shropshire Star and Express & Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
LIVE traffic updates
Road, rail and airport - latest
Our new, live traffic and travel updates service - check before you set out.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new Shropshire Star app
Download the Shropshire Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
shropshirestar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
It’s about time something was done about these farm vehicles using public roads.
Report abuse
err, what other roads would they use? And that’s not a farm vehicle, it’s a lorry which is designed to travel on roads!
Report abuse
Farm vehicle? – read the story, it was a HGV, which is perfectly acceptable on a public road. I feel sorry for the poor guy who’s lost his lorry and the farmer who’s lost a load of hay – no-one was hurt which is the main thing.
Report abuse
Re previous comment- its a lorry, do you propose to ban all lorries. Shropshire is a rural area, what do you expect?
Report abuse
hiya i think its too crazy for them to not let cars get off the preston island and back through sundorne or so, i saw all cars had to stay put… i bet there r lots of people there dying of hunger and thirst, i suggest … why dont big money makig supermarkets ie tesco, sainburys asdas… go down the other side of the motorway up towards telford way and just had out free sandwich and drinks…. EVERY LITTLE HELPS!!!!!! i feel realy sorry for them, lucky i made my trip up telford yesturday and not today otherwise i wont be able to come back to shrewsbury today!!
Report abuse
It was the toilet we were desperate for, but a cup of tea would have been nice!!
Report abuse
@ H. St. John Peasbody – then how do you suggest they travel from place to place? Fly?
Report abuse
It was a HGV and trailer. Which would suggest it was a road vehicle using the public roads.
Report abuse
I’m so horrified by the disaster! I love Hay, I’m so gutted that the amount of hay in the world has gone down! the flames probably caused more effects to global warming! There are going to be so many effected people by this crash. Just think of of them polar bears! I’m not happy and will be complaining to the Council! Good day!
Report abuse
think of the children!
Report abuse
I totally agree jordan, what kind of impression does this give our children?? and what right do we have to destroy harmless hay? Some countries wouls give their right arm for half of the hay destroyed in this fire to feed their ass’s and cows. And as for the environmental impact, well, dont get me started. For anyone who is interested, I will be holding a Hay amnesty at hadnall village hall on sunday 13th at 12pm. (light snacks provided).
Report abuse
Hay guys….is the road clear yet. Was 1/2 hr late this morning dont wanna be late going home….
Report abuse
In response to H. St. John Peasbody’s comment… I’m sure you appreciate it when your fresh fruit, veg, meat & milk are all ready and waiting for you in the supermarket… funnily enough all those items come from FARMERS… and at some point will have been transported on public roads perhaps even by a tractor & trailer…GET OVER IT!
Report abuse
Well, I am a 1979 camper van and have got to get myself all the way to Deva Dubs Show at Shrewsbury. I don’t like delays and am a bit worried!! Hope to get there!
Charlie.
Report abuse
Wow 1/2 hour? I was 4 hours late for work!
The road has opened up again now though it seems!
Report abuse
H St J.( etc) is, in Internet terms, known as a ‘troll’ – thats one who goes around looking to make statements intended to inflame readers – they generally have no interest in forwarding the conversation, discussion or debate or even beginning one – they feel the need to do this and seeing people react that gets them their kicks.
Might be worth people remembering that the ‘old’ A5 still can be driven along. OK bit late now I guess..
Report abuse
Takes one to know one, DevilsChair…
Report abuse
Doesnt the old A5 end up at the Emstrey Island where the lorry is/was? You wont be able to escape the traffic jam which ever way you go.
Report abuse
Traffic had to use the road from Atcham to Cross Houses as the road was closed just after the Atcham Bridge on the way to shrewsbury, lets just say being a narrow road it was somewhat hectic!!
Report abuse
The old A5 was also closed after Atcham bridge all traffic was being diverted left down a narrow country lane it was chaos, why they didn’t divert trough atcham i’ll never know there was artic’s caravans motorhomes the lot madness.
Report abuse
Shrewsbury really needs the northern section of the bypass completing so that traffic can be diverted around the other part of the bypass when these accidents happen.
Why was the traffic on the M54 not diverted at Telford on to the old A5. At 10.00am it was still travelling west into the traffic jam and there were no warnings on the motorway about the problem.
Report abuse
Ignoring my silly remark at the top of this thread, I always listen to the traffic reports on Radio Shropshire in a morning – these help me avoid these common A5 problems. However, traffic should still be routed off the A5 at junction 7 (Wellington) rather than send thousands of people into a 4-5 hour jam.
Report abuse
I totally agree, with the comments made.I cannot understand why the A5 was not just totally shut at Wellington rather than letting drivers who were oblivious to what was going on at Preston Island drive into an already heavy tailback! It is not funny being stuck in a car for so long without food, drink or toilet facilities with no chance of leaving the road by another exit. The traffic police must have known this accident would cause huge problems, therefore why did they not do something about diverting traffic sooner? Not rocket science really….
Report abuse
pathetic response, just push it off the road and get the traffic flowing again, the traffic management here is apaulling
Report abuse
If you are stuck in Harlescott/Sundorn trying to get to the Radbrook side of Shrewsbury take the back road to Montford Bridge, the road is clear. You’ll also be able to rejoin the A5.
Report abuse
The police at the scene this morning were worse than useless in their traffic management. preferring instead to stand on emstrey island chatting whilst the chaos was going on around them. Considering the fire started at 5am why did they not shut the A5 at Dobbies island and Wellington straight away instead of allowing cars to travel into the queue. I think its about time our so called traffic cops were taught how to deal with an emergency of this scale, instead of cruising around in their big cars looking important.
Report abuse
I think the problems were more to do with no proper diversions being in place to stop people going down the A49 or the A5 in the first place to Preston Island, and I’m fairly sure diversions are done by the Highways Agency rather than the police. I didn’t think the bobbies at Preston Island did too bad considering the vast amount of cars coming from three directions with the only road they could send them down backed up to where they were! I wasn’t at the Emstrey end though so can’t comment on how they were down there.
Yes, it was inconvenient and down right problematic for an awful lot of people (myself included) but it happened and I’m not sure there was a huge amount more those dealing with it could do given the situation.
Report abuse
I couldn’t agree more with A.J’s comments.
What a complete and utter mess the whole thing was. No effort whatsoever was made to keep traffic flowing. Why didn’t they tow the vehicle into the adjacent field and deal with it there. Allowing the traffic to keep building up along the dual carrigeway was ridiculous. Some traffic management would have gone a long way to easing the situation. Closing London Road to eastbound traffic and allowing a flow of traffic to use that exit from the roundabout could have been an option or westbound traffic could have been directed the wrong way around the roundabout and up Thieves Lane thus allowing traffic to rejoin the bypass. It’s not rocket science is it but instead our local authorities turned it into a calamity which affected many thousands of people. Options were available but none considered. Poor show.
Report abuse
The lorry was on the Emstrey Island so I think even the old A5 would have been snarled up or maybe even shut too.
Not sure what Amanda means about ‘not being allowed to Sundorne’ though, I was stuck on the A49 between Sundorne and Preston islands and the police were directing traffic at Preston back around towards Sundorne, where the weight restrictions were suspended on Sundorne Road (which was still nose to tail!).
The cars were pretty much only being sent BACK to Sundorne as there was nowhere else for them to go!
It look me two hours to get to work this morning, an hour and 15 minutes waiting in the tailbacks. Still, it was just one of those things that couldn’t really be helped, my employers were understanding and everyone was in the same boat (or car). I just cranked up the radio and enjoyed some of my favourite tunes to while away the time!
Report abuse
It’s ironic that just as the work to produce a business case for completing the ‘ring’ round Shrewsbury is put ‘on hold’ we get a graphic demonstration of why there needs to be a complete circular bypass system!
The repercussions of today’s fire will have been felt right out to Ludlow, Oswestry, Whitchurch and Welshpool as well as Telford.
As to the delay by police in re-routing traffic the fire managed to happen at the one place which closed both the old and new A5 roads…. 200 metres further north or south and there would have been diversionary routes available.
Report abuse
I was one of those people caught up in todays events. I left Coventry at 8.15am for a meeting in Shrewsbury at 9.30am. 7 miles from my destination and well in time I hit the hold-up. I covered 3 miles in 4 hours so as soon as I came to the 1st rounabout I turned round and set off home. Why didn’t the police close the M54 hours earlier then we wouldn’t have got caught up in it. We came off the M6 oblivious of what was ahead of us. If only we had been redirected at that point which was already 4 hours after the incident a lot of people would have been saved a ruined day. I noticed on my drive back that the road was by then closed, it would have been far more sensible to have taken that action hours earlier
Report abuse
Having been trapped all morning by the fire, I have to agree that the police response was the disaster, not the fire itself. Their disregard for “everyone else” is absolutely outrageous.
I drive through France regularly, where the first priority is getting the traffic moving. I have even seen a wagon being dragged off the roadway whilst still on fire, just to keep things moving. Similarly, I saw an accident there on a dual carriageway also last week where the two lanes of traffic were immediately moved into the inside lane and hard shoulder at full speed whilst the clean up took place at a rate of knots in the outside lane.
The idea of doing this in the uk would be abominable to a British Policeman whose devil may care attitude to the flow of traffic is shameful. Forces should be fined for every mile of traffic caused by their lack of action when things go wrong.
Report abuse
I’m the son in law of the owner and driver of the lorry and was on site by 5.30 this morning and have been involved all day in getting the lorry shifted. It’s not as easy as pushing several tonnes of burning flames off the road, there is slightly more to it! Plus the police sent the crane in the wrong direction! Although it may have inconvenienced several people today, it’s going to inconvenience my father in law and his livelihood for the coming weeks.
So basically, grow up and stop being so obnoxious, its doesn’t happen everyday (Thank God!)
Report abuse
Nice one Darren….
Report abuse
The driver of the lorry in the incident this morning was my father and therefore just letting everyone know, (who’s concerned!), that he’s fine but obviously pretty narked that he no longer has his lorry or his new trailer. But, on the bright side, it could have been alot worse.Thanks to those in caught in the traffic hold-up who are being understanding.
p.s. it was a load of straw, not hay, and the reason for the start of the fire is still unknown for now.
Report abuse
the response was pathetic it casued grid lock for hours just a single lorry, police and council hang your head in shame AGAIN!
Report abuse
Hi A.J, I hope you take those comments back when you really need the police. Yet another member of the public targetting the public sector. You of course must be perfect….
Report abuse
i was stuck in it from just after 9 untill 1.30 in the afternoon, the a5 section should indeed have been shut long before it was, the old a5 comes out beyond where the fire was, it was total incompetence that left it open so long
Report abuse
We were on our way to Llangollen yesterday and got stuck on the approach to the island for 5 hours with over 100 children! They were fantastic. Surely there could be a way of opening up sections of the crash barriers on dual carriageways so that traffic could turn round? Just a thought. In the end, the children enjoyed an icecream at Telford Services before returning to school! We will try again another day.
P.S. Just happy to know the driver was OK.
Report abuse
wat a shambles it was! 2 hr to telford it to us! rubbish
Report abuse
after a winter of discontent on the gritters this was yet another poor performance by the councils highways and emergency response crews, some one needs to get sacked or a new contractor found at least
Report abuse
I was stuck on the a5 for four and a half hours, and was obviously very late for work, hungry, thirsty etc. It probably could have been handled better, however, I am just glad that the driver was not hurt and this could have been so much worse
Report abuse
Hi! Just read the full story. We got involved in this incident by ending up in the traffic queue at about 10,30 just by the Wellington junction. Whilst it is true that there aren’t many options for diversions, how is it that five and a half hours after the incident occurred, traffic was still being allowed to flow past Junction 7 and into what could only be a severe delay? The motorway signs only said A5 closed at A49, and the Highways Agency Traffic Line said “A5 closed at junction with A49 expect severe delay.” I suppose it was telling the truth, but it usually says “avoid” if the problem is really bad, I think somebody in charge did not appreciate the full scale of the problem of dealing with the fire, and the time it would take to put out the fire and clear up the mess.
Report abuse
pathetic
come on cameron – we should privatise all roads NOW
Report abuse
Great idea, so that they will be as efficiently run as the railways post privatisation?
Report abuse
I’d just like to point out to you guys that when a fire happens on a road, the road usually needs repairing because the heat tends to cause the road to melt. And melted roads arent really all that great (or safe) to drive on. So the closure has to remain in place for these repairs to happen. Cheers
Report abuse
i agree traffic management in Shropshire has failed twice now in 6 months something must be done
Report abuse
What’s the fuss all about? You had to wait in your cars for an hour… big woop.
Report abuse
I was like many of yourself’s stuck in this jam for 4 hours having travelled up from Essex for a meeting in Shrewsbury at 11:00 I joined the back of the queue at 10:00. Eventually I got to the roundabout at 14:00 and the A5 was still closed! What an absolute shambles, whilst I appreciate it was a serious incident and am glad all involved are well and OK I cannot believe after so many hours the road was still closed. Guess common sense hasn’t reached the highways agency in these parts yet…
Report abuse
clearly the police and council need saveage cuts to their budgets now to sort them out and teach them a lesson
Report abuse
yet another poor show from the public sector in shrosphire, lets privatise them all, the roads will cheaper to run when we pay per mile / pay as you go
Report abuse