Traffic mayhem as winds batter region

Published on 18th January 2007 in News

Gale-force winds caused chaos for emergency services in Goole last Thursday, with police closing roads and motorways and firefighters being called out to reports of buildings being damaged and roofs collapsing as they were whipped by the extreme weather conditions.

The M62 Ouse Bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles for several hours on Thursday morning during the high winds; when it reopened it had a reduced speed limit for all vehicles.

The M18 had to be closed by police at Langham Interchange due to strong gusts toppling a lorry.

Police officers on patrol discovered the lorry on its side close to junction 6 of the southbound carriageway at around 1.50pm. As a result of the position of the lorry the nearside lane of the motorway was closed and because of debris scattered across the whole area the on-slip road had to be closed, causing traffic chaos on the M18 and M62.

Police eventually decided the motorway was too dangerous to be used after reporting severe gusts of wind and a subsequent warning was issued to motorists asking them to avoid the area.

An ambulance was called to the scene to check over the lorry driver after he complained of a shoulder injury.

Due to the closure of the M18, traffic was diverted off the motorway at the Thorne junction. Heavy traffic was reported on the A614 from this junction, through Rawcliffe and into Goole. Queueing traffic built up on the A614 at Boothferry Bridge as lorries took it in turns to cross the bridge.

Traffic problems worsened when two cars collided at around 1pm on the A614 near Cowick. Motorists escaped the collision unhurt but police were called to supervise traffic until recovery was complete. One of the cars, a silver Nissan Almera, was left partly blocking the Cowick-bound side of the road.

Tailbacks continued well into the evening rush-hour and it was not until after 7pm that traffic was able to move freely through Rawcliffe.

Firefighters were called out repeatedly throughout Thursday after reports of trees and branches coming down and blocking roads, as well as many local residents being concerned about the safety of their roofs.

A crew from Goole went to the Marshfield Road area of town at 2.52pm after a local resident called in to say that the roof of the nearby Adelphi warehouse appeared to be unsafe. An inspection discovered a fascia board which was flapping in the wind. The owners, the East Riding of Yorkshire, were contacted and asked to secure it.

In Crowle, at 10.44am on the same day, special service firefighters used a ladder to remove three loose roof tiles from Parkin's Butchers, in the market place.

BBC weather reports said wind speeds had reached between 55mph and 65mph but there were isolated gusts of 70mph.

More high winds are expected today.