February 10, 2017
Scotland

Huge wind turbine transporter still blocks major Ayrshire to Dumfries and Galloway route three days after crash

A section of the A713 has been shut since Monday night's accident with operation to move 116-ton truck only getting underway yesterday | By Andrew McNair | Daily Record | 9 Feb 2017 | www.dailyrecord.co.uk

The recovery work at crash site north of Parton has started.

The Stewartry’s main road to the north is still closed three days after a massive lorry carrying a huge section of a wind turbine toppled over.

And police have warned it could be tomorrow at the earliest before the A713 is open to traffic again.

The major disruption has swung the spotlight firmly on to the use of country roads in the construction of windfarms.

The 116-ton load was being driven north at the head of a convoy of three in heavy rain on Monday night when the accident happened near Parton.

The transporter was negotiating a curve when the rear section, a 28-wheel trailer, left the road. It twisted over and, as it did so, the driver’s cab became detached and ended up on its side.

No one was hurt but the wreckage is blocking the trunk road.

And recovery efforts, which will be a major operation in itself possibly involving the creation of a special platform to protect the road surface, were hampered yesterday when a super-crane was held up by an accident on the Dumfries bypass. They got underway last night.

As drivers living locally were faced with major detours, Andi Holmes of Dalry Community Council said: “It does raise questions on the issue of whether our rural roads are up to this vastly increased level of haulage.

“There are far more HGVs and large service vehicles driving through the Glenkens and the impact is huge.

“Our road systems and bridges, some of them 100-years-old, have held up well but it’s now critical.”

He found support from fellow Glenkens resident Anna Blyth who added: “The A702 for example is not wide enough to permit the passage of these large transporters and we are regularly being held up for 40 minutes at a time while they try to manoeuvre themselves off the road in order to pass – it is a nightmare!

“If someone loses their life as a result, the local authority will have to defend charges of corporate manslaughter. It is an accident waiting to happen.”

A police spokesman said the road would re-open tomorrow if the recovery equipment arrived at the scene yesterday. It was due to be on site yesterday evening.

He added: “It’s now down to the agents to work hard and find a solution. It’s a protracted and difficult situation which we will continue to monitor.”

A spokeswoman for Fred Olsen Renewables, who own Brockloch Windfarm, near Carsphairn, where the turbine was going, said: “Due to the nature of the load, specialist equipment is required to clear the road and a diversion will be in place until this work is complete.

“Everyone involved will work to keep the local community and other road users informed of progress, and will clear the road as soon as it can be achieved safely.

“Brockloch Windfarm has been working proactively with the haulier, Colletts, and turbine supplier Senvion to understand the cause of the accident.”


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2017/02/10/huge-wind-turbine-transporter-still-blocks-major-ayrshire-to-dumfries-and-galloway-route-three-days-after-crash/