MOTORISTS travelling towards Poole’s Twin Sails Bridge faced long delays on Friday afternoon after a two-car smash blocked the road. 

Emergency services were called to Blandford Road, at its junction with Rigler Road, at 2.48pm.

A Dorset Police spokesman said the crash involved a grey Audi A3, registered to a man from Bournemouth, and a grey Volvo, registered to a woman from Poole.

He said traffic is unable to turn left from Blanford Road into Rigler Road.

There were reports of delays through Poole, particularly in Hamworthy and Upton. 

 


A spokesman for South Western Ambulance Service said they attended the scene and treated one person from each vehicle for minor injuries. No one was taken to hospital.

A Borough of Poole spokesman told the Echo: “The police have contacted us and asked us to amend the vehicle messaging sign, so we’ve put up messages informing motorists of an ‘accident ahead’ and to ‘expect delays’.

“The police have not asked us to close the road. As far as we are concerned the Twin Sails Bridge is operating normally.

“If you are travelling along this route expect delays and if you can use an alternative route please do so.”

Some residents have taken to social media to urge council officials to reopen Poole’s lifting bridge, which is undergoing scheduled maintenance and will be out of action until Monday.

The council spokesman explained: “There have been some tweets asking us to open Poole Bridge while this disruption is ongoing but we cannot.

“Basically, the nose bolts connecting the two leaves of Poole Bridge when it comes down, are currently in pieces as part of the maintenance. So it is not safe for us to open the bridge. It is simply not feasible.”

Police said the road was cleared at 5.13pm.