A tipper lorry crashed through a motorway barrier on the M3 in Hampshire, plunging 20 feet onto the road below and leaving the driver trapped. The serious collision occurred yesterday evening between Eastleigh and Southampton, near junction 14, when the vehicle veered off the southbound carriageway and crashed through the safety barrier near the entry slip road.
The lorry landed on its side in undergrowth on Chestnut Avenue, and emergency services were called at 10:01pm on 11 August. Hampshire Constabulary confirmed that the driver became trapped after the fall, but their condition has not been publicly disclosed.
Road closures and diversions in place
The entry slip road from the M3 onto the M27 westbound remains closed and is expected to be shut for a significant period, police warned. Motorists are urged to use alternative routes while emergency services continue their investigation.
Hampshire Constabulary said: 'Emergency services remain at the scene of a serious collision on the M3 southbound carriageway at J14. We were called at 10.01pm on 11 August to reports of a lorry in collision with the bridge barrier, causing the vehicle to leave the carriageway onto Chestnut Avenue.'
The two left lanes leading to the slip road for the M27 westbound have been closed, but the two lanes on the right of the southbound carriageway remain open. Chestnut Avenue has also been closed between Nightingale Avenue and Falkland Road.
Investigation and safety work ahead
Police stated that the closures are likely to be in place for a considerable time due to damage caused to the crash barrier on the bridge. 'We will be completing our investigation at the scene and handing over to the local authority who will need to carry out extensive work to ensure the road is safe before reopening,' the force added. 'We would advise people to find an alternative route.'
Metro approached the ambulance service for comment, but no further details were provided at the time of reporting.
Context: New Forest wildfire continues
Last night's crash occurred just a few miles east of the New Forest wildfire, which has now raged for four days after being sparked by a van fire on the side of the road. The blaze spread to dry heathland and has engulfed around 140 football pitches worth of land, with firefighters battling in tinderbox conditions and hot weather.
Hampshire Fire Service said today: 'Challenging terrain and limited access to the remote location continue to make firefighting operations difficult, and the high temperatures forecast for today are expected to add to those challenges.'
