Edinburgh drivers issued update after serious crash triggers major delays
Edinburgh drivers have been issued an update after a busy road was closed for hours on Monday. Emergency services raced to the M8 Junction[1] 1 after receiving reports of a serious crash[2] between two vehicles on Monday at 9.15am. Police and the ambulance service rushed to the scene, along with a trauma team, a critical care paramedic and a special operations response team.
The Scottish Ambulance Service said on Monday morning that one person was taken to hospital.
At around 6.30pm, Police Scotland updated drivers to inform them that junction one had been reopened after being closed for nine hours. However, motorists were wanted to expect delays while traffic returned to normal.
Police Scotland said: “The M8 westbound has reopened at junction 1 following a two-vehicle crash which happened around 9.15am on Monday, 18 December. “Drivers are urged to expect delays while traffic returns to normal.” This comes after Edinburgh council’s traffic X account said at around 4.15pm: “M8 (W) remains closed at Hermiston Gait following an RTC.
The impact is now significant and widespread and the resultant delays are too numerous for us to mention individually. Expect notable disruption on most routes on the west side of the City this afternoon.” Traffic Scotland alerted drivers in the afternoon: “The M8 Westbound remains CLOSED at J1 due to a serious collision.
People heading to Edinburgh Airport are advised to leave with plenty extra time. Traffic moving slower on A720 W/B with travel times of around 30mins. Eastbound delays eased.”
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We received a call at 9.19pm to attend an incident on the M8 at Newbridge. Two ambulances, a trauma team, a critical care paramedic and a special operations response team (SORT) were dispatched to the scene and one patient was transported to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.”
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References
- ^ M8 Junction (www.edinburghlive.co.uk)
- ^ crash (www.edinburghlive.co.uk)
- ^ Hero West Lothian shopkeeper doused in lighter fluid as he fights off bungling robber (www.edinburghlive.co.uk)
- ^ Edinburgh drivers fume as local ‘parking enforcer’ puts own notices on cars (www.edinburghlive.co.uk)
- ^ breaking news (www.edinburghlive.co.uk)
- ^ coronavirus (www.edinburghlive.co.uk)
- ^ here (data.reachplc.com)