Two treated after Garrison Circus accident as overturned lorry causes traffic chaos

Two drivers were treated by paramedics after an overturned lorry caused traffic chaos on one of Birmingham's busiest junctions. It happened on the A4540 Watery Lane Middleway, at the Garrison Circus roundabout, shortly after 11.30am today, Tuesday, January 21. Footage taken from the upper deck of a bus showed the lorry on its side and the road coned off at the junction of the A4540 and Great Barr Street, where they meet Garrison Circus.

A police accident sign was shown at the scene with traffic unable to exit onto or enter from Great Barr Street A fire engine, ambulance and police officers were recorded at the scene as traffic crawled past. Traffic is backed up in all directions as it met the roundabout, with Great Barr Street blocked off.

Further along was an ambulance and second fire service vehicle. West Midlands Ambulance Service[2] confirmed it treated two drivers, with one, a car driver, taken to hospital for checks. The lorry driver was discharged at the scene.

A spokeswoman for the service said: "We were called by the police to reports of a collision involving a lorry and a car at the junction of Great Barr Street and the A4540, Birmingham[3] at 11.39am today. "One ambulance responded to the scene and arrived to find a lorry on its side. The drivers of both vehicles, two men, were assessed by ambulance staff.

The lorry driver was discharged from care. The car driver sustained non-serious injuries and was treated on scene before being conveyed to Heartlands Hospital for further precautionary checks."

The West Midlands Roads account, Transport for West Midlands traffic information service, said: "A4540 Watery Lane Middleway at Garrison Island (Great Barr Street) Birmingham, Overturned lorry, Partially blocked, Congestion in the area." National Express West Midlands divertied its number 97 and 97a services.

It said: "Service disruption. Great Barr Street, Bordesley, is currently blocked by an overturned lorry. "97/A are diverted in both directions via Watery Lane Middleway and Coventry Road.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused." A spokesman for West Midlands Police[4] said: "We were called to a collision involving three vehicles at the junction of Garrison Circus and Great Barr Street at around 11.40am today. We remain at the scene and the drivers of the vehicles have been spoken to by officers." Hours after the crash, heavy traffic remained in the area, with Great Barr Street remaining blocked.

The lorry was 'righted' and put back on its wheels at around 3pm but still had to be recovered from the scene to ease the congestion.

References

1. ^ Lorry overturns as traffic chaos breaks out near city centre - updates (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
2. ^ West Midlands Ambulance Service (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
3. ^ Birmingham (www.birminghammail.co.uk)
4. ^ West Midlands Police (www.birminghammail.co.uk)