Articulated lorry slides off road (From Gazette Series)

Articulated lorry slides off road

A COUNTRY lane near Berkeley was blocked to traffic again this week when an articulated lorry slid of the road into a ditch.

It is the third accident in Alkington Lane, Heathfield, since August when a lorry shed its load of empty beer bottles. In December a van driver rolled his vehicle into a field, closing the lane to traffic.

On Monday the road was partially blocked for more than three hours after the lorry carrying 26 tonnes of empty glass bottles left the road.

Police spokesman Matt Ford said: "A male from Dursley had moved over to let an oncoming HGV pass. On one side of the lorry the tyres went into the grass and slid into the mud causing it to tip. There was slight damage to the vehicle - the driver was uninjured."

The road is used by drivers as a route to get to Berkeley and Sharpness Docks and residents have long said that something needs to be done before somebody is killed in an accident.

In December resident Mike Hill said: "It is a country lane which is used too much by traffic which is not suitable for it. The council don't seem interested in doing anything about it but it is a big issue here in Berkeley."