Rushington roundabout: Calls for changes to prevent lorries toppling
- Published
The lorry driver was taken to hospital after the lorry overturned on Wednesday morning
A roundabout where a number of container lorries have overturned needs improvements to avoid a "disaster", a councillor has warned.
A lorry toppled on to its side on Wednesday, blocking the Rushington roundabout on the A35 near Southampton.
Totton councillor David Harrison said there had been at least five similar crashes over the past decade.
Hampshire County Council described it as an "unfortunate incident" but said it would not speculate on the cause.
In the latest crash, a container lorry overturned while negotiating the roundabout shortly after 10:00 BST, falling on to railings alongside a footpath.
The driver was able to climb out of the cab and was taken to hospital.
Another lorry toppled over at the same part of the roundabout in May 2017
The roundabout is frequently used by lorries travelling to and from Eling Wharf near Marchwood.
Other similar incidents were reported in 2013, 2017 and 2018. In 2015 a driver was trapped inside a burning vehicle.
Hampshire county councillor Mr Harrison posted on his blog in 2017: "Sooner or later, somebody is going to get killed at this location."
Following Wednesday's crash, he said: "It always occurs at about the same spot on the roundabout.
"The metal railings wouldn't afford any real protection against the weight of a lorry coming down on any poor soul who happened to be walking along the pathway at the time.
"I think the only real answer is to move the pathway back, away from the road - accepting that this is going to happen from time to time, but avoiding a complete disaster if somebody gets crushed."
A Hampshire County Council spokesperson said: "Whilst advisory signs are already in place on the approaches to the roundabout, it is important that we do not speculate on the cause at this very early stage while the police investigations are ongoing."
Warning signs are in place on the approach to the roundabout
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