Truckers taken to hospital after lorries overturn in high winds on A53

Two truckers have been taken to hospital after their lorries overturned on the A53 as Storm Pia battered North Staffordshire. The first vehicle flipped on its side just before 6.30am today (December 21) near to the Winking Man pub, between Leek and Buxton.

Police said the road was closed to HGVs just before 6.40am due to the high winds. Another lorry, an Iveco, overturned nearby at around 7.10am.

Firefighters were sent to the scene and helped the driver of the first lorry, a white Volvo, out of the cab. He suffered minor injuries.

Both drivers were taken to hospital paramedics as a precaution. Recovery for both vehicles has been arranged, but traffic-monitoring service Inrix reports the lorries will not be removed until winds calm.

READ: 1,300 homes lose power, roads shut and trains cancelled as Storm Pia hits North Staffordshire ^[1] The county has been hit with strong winds for most of the day

READ: Josiah Wedgwood halts controversial Stoke Station traffic ban – for now | The proposal to move the iconic statue as part of plans to install a bus gate was questioned at a planning committee meeting ^[2]

A Staffordshire Police ^[3] spokesperson said: “We were called to reports of an overturned lorry on the A53 between Leek and Buxton, today. The incident happened just before 6.30am, near to the Winking Man pub.

“As a result of high winds in the area, the road was closed to HGVs just before 6.40am. Firefighters from Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service also attended the scene and helped the driver of the white Volvo lorry, a man in his 50s, out of the cab. He suffered minor injuries.

“An Iveco lorry then overturned nearby at around 7.10am. The drivers of both vehicles were taken to hospital by West Midlands Ambulance Service as a precaution.

The spokesperson added: “Recovery for the vehicles has been arranged.”

References

^{^} 1,300 homes lose power, roads shut and trains cancelled as Storm Pia hits North Staffordshire (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
^{^} Josiah Wedgwood halts controversial Stoke Station traffic ban – for now | The proposal to move the iconic statue as part of plans to install a bus gate was questioned at a planning committee meeting (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
^{^} Staffordshire Police (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
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