Drivers warned over 600-tonne transformers on M5

1 hour ago

Sarah TurnnidgeWest of England

Drivers have been urged to avoid parts of the route at key times of day

Getty Images A red and yellow striped van marked with 'abnormal load - escort vehicle' drives behind a lorry bearing an oversized square load. — Drivers have been urged to avoid parts of the route at key times of day

Drivers have been warned to expect delays when 600-tonne abnormal loads travelling at 12mph are transported along a motorway.

Police will be escorting a huge electrical transformer and a number of related components from Sharpness Docks on the banks of the River Severn to Brockworth on the outskirts of Gloucester.

Starting on Tuesday, vehicles will leave the site at Sharpness throughout the week (7 April to 11 April) from 09:00 BST and travel on a number of major roads as well as joining the M5 at junction 14 for Falfield.

A spokesperson for Gloucestershire Police urged drivers to avoid the route at key times, warning of "severe delays" on the the M5 northbound and the A417.

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The move had originally been scheduled for 27 March, but was delayed.

What route will it take?

Starting at around 09:00 each day, the vehicles will leave the site in Sharpness and travel along two unclassified roads.

They will then take the B4066, A38, B4509 and join the M5 at junction 14 for Falfield.

The vehicles involved will use a contraflow system to join the M5 via the junction 14 northbound exit slip road, instead of the entry slip road and then exit at the M5 junction 11A north, onto the A417 via the entry slip road.

The loads will then travel along the A417 to the B4641, along Delta Way and Hurricane Road before arriving at the destination at around 14:15.

Key times to avoid

Police have warned drivers to avoid major roads at key times, with severe delays expected as the vehicles are limited to just 12mph.

Here is when they are expected to arrive at significant points in their journeys:

10:00 BST - A38 junction
10:45 - M5 junction 14
11:15 - Journey north on M5 begins
12:45 - Leave M5 at Junction 11A North, and join A417
14:15 - Arrive in Brockworth

As well as heavy delays due to the speed of the vehicles, further queues will be caused as the northbound carriageway of the M5 and the A417 are temporarily closed entirely to allow safe entry and exit.

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