M5 traffic: Motorway partially reopens after crash near Bristol
- Published
The back of the tipper was wedged on to an overhead gantry on the M5
A motorway has partially reopened after a tipper truck hit an overhead gantry.
The M5 near Bristol closed for nine hours when the vehicle crashed into the overhead structure in lane one of the southbound carriageway.
The bed of the tipper became stuck at 08:20GMT forcing the motorway to shut in both directions between J17 for Cribbs Causeway and J18 for Avonmouth.
The northbound carriageway reopened at 17:20 and the southbound carriageway was expected to reopen before Friday.
No-one was hurt but the tipper was not removed from the gantry until noon, and extensive damage was caused to the electronics and signage.
Electrical cables were severed and hydraulic fluid also spilled on to the carriageway, National Highways said.
It said the carriageway had reopened following the removal of all gantry fittings and signage and a further safety inspection.
The M5 was closed for hours in both directions
Chris Leadbeater, operations manager at National Highways, said it was likely the tipper body had lifted while the vehicle was moving on the motorway, causing it to collide with the gantry.
Avon and Somerset Police is appealing for witnesses to come forward.
Anyone who saw the vehicle just before impact is also asked to contact the police force.
The lorry joined the M5 at J17, police said.
Investigators said any relevant dashcam from drivers in the area showing the lorry would be "gratefully received".
Drivers faced delays of up to an hour after the collision.
Police officers started issuing tickets to motorists caught using their phones while driving past the scene of the crash, some of whom were taking photos.
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Truck company GTI Transport has declined to comment on the crash.
At the scene on Thursday morning, Scott Ellis, BBC Points West
The lorry bed remains in a very precarious position as it is directly below one of the speed limit signs, a handful of which are hanging off the gantry over the M5.
There is a large police presence and I imagine it will take many, many hours before the situation is resolved.
The bed is no longer attached to the lorry but we can see a cab just a bit further down on the southbound side that we assume is from the same vehicle which hit the gantry with the bed raised.
The traffic is, of course, moving very slowly, particularly on the northbound section where the speed limit signs have been dislodged and are hanging over part of the carriageway.
Delivery driver Carar Tyer was driving down the M5 at the time.
"It was just carnage, it was lucky there were no casualties as the motorway was very busy," Ms Tyer said.
"I've never seen anything like it," she added.
Officers started to issue tickets to drivers seen using their phones as they drove past the scene of the crash
National Highways said the southbound carriageway was expected to reopen later on Thursday following the completion of emergency resurfacing.
Until then, southbound traffic would continue to be diverted via the M4 westbound to the M49 to re-join the M5 at J18, it said.
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