A34 Closes After Lorry Crash at Whitchurch

9 October 2012, 06:17 | Updated: 9 October 2012, 11:17

The A34 near Whitchurch is closed in both directions after a transporter lorry carrying cars overturned last night.

It was being towed by a recovery vehicle at the time. The 29-year-old driver of the recovery truck has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and driving without a secure load.

The road is likely to stay shut until this afternoon while repair work is carried out after cars on the transporter ended up on both sides of the carriageway.

The bit of the road affected is between the junctions with the A303 at Bullington and the A343 at Highclere. 

The Highways Agency and Hampshire Police say recovery of the vehicles should be finished this morning, when work will start to clear up diesel and hydraulic fluid that's been spilt on both sides of the carriageway.

Sections of the north and southbound carriageway have been damaged and will need to be resurfaced, and around 100 metres of barrier in the central reservation also needs to be repaired before the road can be safely re-opened to traffic.

There is a signed diversion in place for A34 traffic: 

- A34 northbound traffic is diverted via the A303, A3093 and A343 to rejoin the A34, following the solid diamond symbol signage;

- A34 southbound traffic is diverted via the A343, A3093 and A303 to rejoin the A34, following the solid triangle symbol signage. 

Related Articles:

http://www.heart.co.uk/berkshire/news/traffic-and-travel/