M90 traffic chaos after crane topples off trailer

Vehicles at a standstill as incident blocks main route out of Fife

Rush hour traffic ground to a standstill to the south of Perth yesterday afternoon after a crane weighing more than 20 tonnes toppled off a trailer.

Chaos and confusion ensued on the southbound carriageway of the M90 near Dunfermline when the huge piece of heavy machinery, being carried by a haulage lorry from the Army base at Leuchars, fell on to the outside lane at around 12.40pm.

Nobody was injured but the accident resulted in huge queues and tailbacks in both directions for several hours.

The road was initially closed between junctions 2a and 2 where the accident happened, but the closure was later extended to junction 3 before the A92 at Crossgates also had to be shut.

Drivers were warned to avoid the area throughout the afternoon and find alternative routes.

There was chaos on the main route southbound out of Fife yesterday after a crane fell off the back of a lorry.

Tailbacks stretching for miles were reported following the incident on the M90 near Dunfermline, with hundreds of people heading to Edinburgh stuck.

The accident happened at around 12.40pm between Halbeath and Pitreavie, near the Amazon warehouse at Duloch, when the large piece of heavy machinery being carried on a trailer by a lorry toppled on to the outside lane.

No one was hurt and no other vehicles were involved when the crane dropped on to its side, but traffic began to build up behind the lorry involved.

Vehicles were initially able to pass on the hard shoulder but Police Scotland in conjunction with Amey, which has responsibility for the route leading up to the Queensferry Crossing, decided to close the road between junctions three and two and divert traffic back to Halbeath.

That caused a considerable knock-on effect further down the route, with motorists reporting congestion on the A92 southbound slip roads behind the line of traffic.

Some drivers were seen reversing back up slip roads at Halbeath and Lochgelly to avoid being caught up in the commotion.

In a bid to control traffic flow, the decision was then taken to close the A92 southbound at Crossgates, causing queues of more than five miles, and drivers were being advised to use alternative routes and allow extra time.

Long queues were also reported northbound on the M90 due to people slowing down to look at the accident.

A recovery crane was eventually given an emergency service escort up the hard shoulder northbound on the M90 shortly before 4pm. The route was cleared and re-opened by 8.30pm.

An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident has begun, although some witnesses who saw the lorry before the incident suggested the load appeared to be adequately secured on the trailer before it somehow tumbled off.

Others suggested vehicles braking suddenly in front of the lorry carrying the load might have contributed to the accident. Lucy Doyle, who was in a vehicle behind the accident, said: “There’s really not much to tell. It was just driving, no changing lane or anything, and it literally just fell off.”

It is understood the crane was being transported to the Edinburgh area from Leuchars at the time.

Anyone who may have witnessed what happened has been urged to contact Police Scotland on 101.

Picture: Katielee Arrowsmith. Witnesses said the crane appeared properly secured to the back of the lorry.