Motorway chaos as lorry crashes and cars collide

9:23am Thursday 22nd November 2012 in Blackburn Photograph of the Author By Vanessa Cornall, Crime reporter

CRASH DRAMA Vehicles on the hard-shoulder after a crash near junction 12 on the M65 PICTURE Becky Parkinson CRASH DRAMA Vehicles on the hard-shoulder after a crash near junction 12 on the M65 PICTURE Becky Parkinson

THREE accidents in the space of 90 minutes brought chaos to the M65 in East Lancashire yesterday.

Police said bad weather appeared to be the main cause caused.

The havoc in the morning rush hour extended to the area’s surrounding roads as drivers tried to get to work.

There was a four-car pile-up, a lorry crash and a three-car shunt in the space of two hours.

The most serious incident involved a woman having to be cut out of her vehicle and placed on to a spinal board after an accident involving two other vehicles.

The incident happened on the westbound carriageway near junction 12 at Nelson around 8.20am.

Firefighters from Nelson used hydraulic cutting equipment to release the woman so she could be treated by paramedics.

She was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital but her injuries were said to be minor.

Another incident happened shortly before 8am when four vehicles collided on the westbound carriageway close to junction 10 at Burnley.

The collision involved a Citroen Xsara Picasso, a Ford Fiesta, a Volkswagen Golf and a Volkswagen Passat all travelling in lane one.

Four people were taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital, two on spinal boards including a 30-year-old man, one with an injury to the shoulder and one with an injury to the hand.

None of the injuries are said to be life threatening, police said.

The motorway lane was closed for more than an hour with motorists stuck in severe tailbacks between Blackburn and Burnley.

A wagon driver carrying a skip also alerted police after a mechanical fault caused him to leave the carriageway just passed junction 10 at Burnley shortly after 6.45am.

The skip had forced the wagon sideways partially blocking lane one of the motorway.

Officers closed the lane to allow for recovery, causing further tailbacks in the area.

Experts at the Met Office predicted more bad weather over the next few days.

A Lancashire police spokesman said: “We received calls about a number of accidents on the motorway network in and around East Lancashire.

Comments (7)

10:54am Thu 22 Nov 12

prince of darkness says...

Gee Pay day for police, all those cars blocking the Emergancy lane.
Gee Pay day for police, all those cars blocking the Emergancy lane. prince of darkness

2:09pm Thu 22 Nov 12

kate11 says...

The M65 is a terrible motorway when dark and raining. Especially around the Manchester turn off! Whoever thought to switch all the motorway lights off on that stretch and on that junction must be mad!! And all to save money I presume.. They should be reinstated ASAP... When it is raining heavily you cannot see the road markings or anything in fact.. Who do we contact to get them put back!!
The M65 is a terrible motorway when dark and raining. Especially around the Manchester turn off! Whoever thought to switch all the motorway lights off on that stretch and on that junction must be mad!! And all to save money I presume.. They should be reinstated ASAP... When it is raining heavily you cannot see the road markings or anything in fact.. Who do we contact to get them put back!! kate11

2:10pm Thu 22 Nov 12

mys says...

The police have a terrible job to do in these situations so don't knock them, I'd like to see you do there job
The police have a terrible job to do in these situations so don't knock them, I'd like to see you do there job mys

6:59pm Thu 22 Nov 12

coates warder says...

drive to the conditions simple.nowt to do with lights off
drive to the conditions simple.nowt to do with lights off coates warder

12:00am Fri 23 Nov 12

Major Tom says...

"The M65 is a terrible motorway when dark and raining. Especially around the Manchester turn off!"
The M65 doesn't go past Manchester.
"The M65 is a terrible motorway when dark and raining. Especially around the Manchester turn off!" The M65 doesn't go past Manchester. Major Tom

12:59am Fri 23 Nov 12

clickhere says...

Major Tom wrote:
"The M65 is a terrible motorway when dark and raining. Especially around the Manchester turn off!"
The M65 doesn't go past Manchester.
No, but the A56, which crosses the M65 at Huncoat does. Doh!

Good point earlier about street lighting. And yes we can, and should, all drive to the conditions, but where it is possible, for moderate cost, to do something which improves safety then it should be done. What's betting that the total cost of all the signs telling you the blindingly obvious (STREET LIGHTS ARE SWITCHED OFF) would probably fund the lights being left on for the next few years.
Traffic engineers at LCC are not noted for their application of common sense.
[quote][p][bold]Major Tom[/bold] wrote: "The M65 is a terrible motorway when dark and raining. Especially around the Manchester turn off!" The M65 doesn't go past Manchester.[/p][/quote]No, but the A56, which crosses the M65 at Huncoat does. Doh! Good point earlier about street lighting. And yes we can, and should, all drive to the conditions, but where it is possible, for moderate cost, to do something which improves safety then it should be done. What's betting that the total cost of all the signs telling you the blindingly obvious (STREET LIGHTS ARE SWITCHED OFF) would probably fund the lights being left on for the next few years. Traffic engineers at LCC are not noted for their application of common sense. clickhere

7:24am Fri 23 Nov 12

kate11 says...

Major Tom wrote:
"The M65 is a terrible motorway when dark and raining. Especially around the Manchester turn off!"
The M65 doesn't go past Manchester.
"coates warder"....It is to do with the lights.. When it is torrential rain you cannot see the markings on the road and at that major junction people are joining and moving lanes.. I have been there and it is frightening! I may drive to conditions but others do not!
"Major Tom" do you have to be sarcastic on such a serious subject?
"clickhere" Well said.. Thank you
[quote][p][bold]Major Tom[/bold] wrote: "The M65 is a terrible motorway when dark and raining. Especially around the Manchester turn off!" The M65 doesn't go past Manchester.[/p][/quote]"coates warder"....It is to do with the lights.. When it is torrential rain you cannot see the markings on the road and at that major junction people are joining and moving lanes.. I have been there and it is frightening! I may drive to conditions but others do not! "Major Tom" do you have to be sarcastic on such a serious subject? "clickhere" Well said.. Thank you kate11

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