Concern over an M62 blackspot
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• Highways officials at Lancashire County Council are considering altering a stretch of sliproad off the M62 after a series of NOV accidents.
Last Thursday a Volvo FL10 of Holyhead-based Owens Transport overturned after leaving the M62 northbound at Junction 34. The vehicle had followed the sliproad through its 180° turn to the traffic lights at the T-junction with the A683.
The driver was shaken but otherwise unhurt.
Lancaster-based recovery specialist Boardmans Garages, which recovered the Owens Transport lorry, has dealt with a number of stricken trucks at this spot before.
Boardmans control room manager Anthony Rushwaidy reports that trucks have turned over near the traffic lights, even when travelling slovvly. He says that there is a marked camber in the road.
Peter Andrews, group engineer at the Department for Environment Directorate at Lancashire City Council, says: "There have been 12 accidents at this junction in the past five years; three with HGVs making a right turn at the signals. In each case the lorry was turning off from the lights and then overturned."
However, these statistics only include accidents in which people are injured. According to an industry source there have been more than 20 accidents involving HGVs at this site in the past few years. Andrews confirms: "it is something that we have been aware ot The reason we have not done anything positive is because there is a development proposal for land beside of the sliproad," he adds. Until such plans are finalised—which could take up to a year—any work on the stretch of road cannot be approved, he says.