'Unprecedented delays' in Lincoln after lorry crash
- Published
Motorists reported queuing for more than two hours to get into the city
Highways officials have come under fire after motorists in Lincoln faced "unprecedented delays" due to a crash involving a car transporter.
The city bypass was still closed in both directions 18 hours after the transporter overturned on Wednesday, shedding its load of new vehicles.
The city's MP Karl McCartney was among those who criticised the authority for not doing more to keep traffic moving.
Lincolnshire Police said one lane had now opened on either side of the road.
Motorists were forced to find alternative routes into the city due to the closure.
Drivers had to enter the city via minor routes, which quickly became gridlocked
Many reported it taking over two hours to travel just a few miles. Some left their cars on the outskirts of Lincoln and walked into work.
Residents described the delays as the worst they had seen.
Richard, a caller to BBC Radio Lincolnshire, said: "It took me three quarters of an hour to travel about a mile. In the last 15 or 20 years I've never seen it like this. It's horrendous."
Lincolnshire Police said a Scania transporter overturned on the A46 Lincoln bypass at about 21:00 GMT on Wednesday
Many vented their frustration on social media.
Don Epton summed up the mood: "This happened at about 9 last night, why hasn't it been sorted and fully open by now?"
In a tweet, Mr McCartney questioned why officials could not have kept at least one lane of the bypass open in each direction to avoid the gridlock.
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Jemma Peacock, from Lincolnshire Police, said: "It's unprecedented. It's a really difficult situation."
Lincolnshire County Council said a decision was taken to close the road so workers could repair the central reservation in safety.
The authority said efforts were further hampered by a fuel spillage.
Highways manager Richard Fenwick said: "Because it was a freak accident it's not something we would be set up to respond to within an hour or two."
"I'd like to think we could make improvements but we can't take a risk with the safety of road users," he added.
At 16:30 GMT, Lincolnshire Police's force control room posted an update on Twitter.
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