The scene of this afternoon's collision on the M40 between junctions 1a and 1.

9 May 2008

There were fears for the safety of a number of motorists caught in the queue following a road traffic collision on the M40 this afternoon.

As emergency service vehicles arrived they had to contend with groups of people gathering on the hard shoulder.

Three people were injured in the collision, which involved three cars. It happened on the east southbound stretch of the motorway between junction 1a, the M25 interchange, and junction 1, Denham. Emergency services were called shortly before 2pm.

Firefighters from Gerrards Cross and Beaconsfield released an injured man from one of the cars using hydaulic cutting equipment. Another man and a woman were released, injured, without their help.

Station Manager John Bull, who was one of the officers at the incident, said: "I was very concerned about a number of road safety issues involving people who were stuck in the tailback.

"The most serious problems involved people gathering in groups on the hard shoulder or wandering along it, and vehicles in the nearside lane leaving passenger doors open to allow air in.

"Fire, police and ambulance vehicles all use the hard shoulder to gain access to incidents. When people are on the hard shoulder, or vehicle doors are partially blocking it, it poses additional problems for the emergency services at a time when they already have their hands full.

"I even saw a girl of about 10 running up and down between the Armco barriers of the centre reservation. Although one carriageway was stationary, four lanes on the other side were still in use."

John added: "We appreciate that if you are going to be stuck at the scene of a collision for several hours, you don't want to be sitting in your car all that time. But it is important to keep away from the hard shoulder, and not to leave car doors open if they are overhanging the hard shoulder."