Stranded driver could only watch as his car hit
Nowhere for motorist to go in Op Brock narrow lanes
A helpless driver watched on as his BMW was hit by passing traffic after it was left stranded on the M20 for over an hour. Daniel Major, 37, was travelling to work when his estate car broke down on the London-bound stretch between Junctions 8 (Leeds) and 7 (Maidstone).
He climbed onto the verge, but couldn’t move his car from the motorway as there was no hard shoulder due to narrow lanes for Operation Brock.
Despite reporting the incident to police at 5.40am on Sunday, November 17, it took more than an hour for help to arrive.
The dad-of-one, from Willesborough, said he thought he was moments away from witnessing a serious accident as he watched cars smash into his vehicle on the dark motorway.
He said: “My car was hit by a driver and written off and the driver failed to stop. I called 999 and said my car is being hit but the police didn’t attend.
“My breakdown refused to come because I was not in a position of safety.
“I was watching on thinking I was about to see a serious road accident, causing serious injury.” An emergency recovery vehicle was dispatched by Highways England shortly after the incident occurred - but it broke down en route.
At 7am an impact protection vehicle arrived to shelter his car from further damage and it was finally recovered around 7.45am. Mr Major, who only had fire and theft insurance, has had to pay £1,300 on a new car. He added: “I hold highways responsible for this.”
Police have launched a review on their response time. A spokesman for Highways England says it takes safety in roadworks “very seriously” and that safety is continually under review.