Police rapped for closing motorway over pylon crash

Published 18th Oct 2009

Furious motorists hit out at police yesterday for closing 27 miles of motorway for a single-vehicle crash that was not even blocking the road.

A 4x4 pickup truck careered off the M5 near Portishead, Somerset, at 4.20am on Friday and ploughed into an electricity pylon in a field.

Avon and Somerset Police decided the pylon was a danger to motorists – even though it was not on the motorway.
Traffic

The M5 was closed on both carriageways from the crash site to Burnham-on-Sea, nearly 30 miles away, and did not reopen until midday.

It caused traffic gridlock around Bristol all day, with some motorists stuck for five hours.

The closure comes just weeks after drivers were caught in similar tailbacks when the same force closed the M5 after a man threatened to jump from a bridge.

Portishead town councillor David Pasley said: ‘Once again the police have totally over-reacted. It’s crazy.’

Builder Mark Smith, 48, who was caught in the gridlock, said: ‘I can’t believe it’s been closed just because a pole has come down.’

Avon and Somerset Police said: ‘The cable presented a hazard to motorists.’

Source: ' Sunday Times '

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