Lorry one-way system traps ambulance

AN AMBULANCE on a 999 call got wedged against a lorry for 30 minutes in a village where HGVS were being diverted for a traffic experiment.

Paramedics met the lorry on the narrow road in Melbury Abbas, north Dorset, on Monday afternoon.

The two vehicles attempted to pass each other, but became wedged.

After it became apparent the ambulance was unable to pull clear, the crew radioed for another to be sent to the casualty. It did not arrive until an hour after the initial emergency call.

An unofficial one-way system for lorries has been created in the area, part of a £2.5million strategy to improve the A-road. Lorries travelling south are being directed to use the C13 road instead of the main A350, which runs parallel, while northbound lorries continue up the A-road.

However, villagers say the change has created chaos as the road is getting blocked up to 20 times a week. They are urging the local authority to abandon the experiment.

William Kenealy, chairman of Melbury Abbas and Cann parish council, said: “The road is physically too small for so many vehicles of such great size to pass through and jams are continually occurring.

“The issue is even more concerning when you see an emergency vehicle getting stuck.

“The one-way system put in place by the council needs to be looked at again, it’s obviously not working.”

Andrew Martin, service director for highways at Dorset County Council, said: “This incident and others will be investigated to help us find the best solutions to keep traffic and freight moving safely and freely.”