Motorists were advised to avoid two major roads in Fife amid closures of more than six hours.
Drivers were forced to contend with lengthy tailbacks on the southbound section of the M90 near Dunfermline after a lorry shed its load.
The incident happened between junction 2a and 2 at Pitreavie shortly after 12.40pm when an army vehicle being carried on a trailer appears to have overturned beside the central reservation.
*NEW* ⌚ 12:52
❗ Incident on the #M90 Southbound J2a – J2.
Overturned vehicle affecting lanes one and two with police on scene.
Currently passable with care. #BeAware pic.twitter.com/CtqFGiF5n0
— Traffic Scotland (@trafficscotland) August 16, 2019
Traffic was passing with care, but the fact the vehicles were blocking both lanes caused huge queues behind the incident.
Police were on scene to direct traffic, although tailbacks were being reported as far as Halbeath Park and Ride and beyond on to the A92.
Officers then took the decision to close the road between J3 and J2 to try and ease congestion, and then the A92 southbound at Crossgates was also closed.
M90 CLOSURE SOUTHBOUND – closure in place between Junction 3 and Junction 2, southbound, due to an accident. Please avoid the area, queues are already considerable. @trafficscotland@FifeJL #M90
— South West Fife Police (@SWFifePolice) August 16, 2019
No-one was injured, incredibly, and a recovery crane was escorted northbound up the M90 on the hard shoulder shortly before 4pm as efforts to remove the giant piece of machinery got under way.
*UPDATE* ⌚️16:23
Latest visual from the recovery operation on the #M90 S/B where a shed load has resulted in road closures at #M90 J3 and #A92 at Crossgates.
If you can, #AVOID and use alternative routes. Please allow extra time for your journey as lengthy queues continue. https://t.co/eZVjcFTbPB pic.twitter.com/30FZOMQhEf
— Traffic Scotland (@trafficscotland) August 16, 2019
Glenrothes woman Lucy Doyle was in one of the cars behind the lorry when the accident happened.
“There’s really not much to tell to be honest,” she noted.
“It was just driving, no changing lane or anything, and it literally just fell off.”
The roads remained closed into the rush hour, with motorists being advised to avoid the area and leave extra time for their journeys.
Here's a wee map showing the worst hit areas…. https://t.co/MnY1cKeOOf pic.twitter.com/XOqEXbb7nr
— Craig Smith (@C_CSmith1) August 16, 2019
Traffic Scotland tweeted: “If you can, #AVOID and use alternative routes. Please allow extra time for your journey as lengthy queues continue.”
The section was cleared and re-opened by 8.30pm.
