Motorway reopens after 'multiple collisions' in icy conditions

The A74(M) motorway has reopened in southern Scotland after being closed by "multiple collisions" due to icy conditions.

Emergency services were called to the scene between junction 14 at Elvanfoot in South Lanarkshire and junction 16 for Johnstonebridge in Dumfries and Galloway at about 11:30.

One eyewitness estimated that about 10 vehicles were involved in the accidents.

The motorway was fully reopened by about 14:45.

Lesley Lee, from Dumfries, was driving south in a lorry when she came across the scene.

"All I saw was about six to eight cars in the central reservation and hard shoulder," she said.

"Looked like everyone was out of their vehicles."

Then, after about another 400 yards, she said she came across another three or four cars - one in the central reservation and the rest on the hard shoulder.

"I also spotted cars and a lorry going down the slip road to Johnstonebridge services with hazards on and sliding as they tried to go downhill," she said.

"Also, a lorry and car on the opposite side had pulled onto the hard shoulder as a car was up the embankment.

"As I pulled away from the second accident I felt the trailer on my lorry slide and realised it was black ice which must have been the cause."

The operating company responsible for the route, Autolink, said the southbound road had been shut between Elvanfoot and Johnstonebridge due to the crashes.

It said gritters were treating the road surfaces and that no-one had been seriously hurt.

The southbound section of the road was completely closed to allow the vehicles to be removed.

Police also carried out rolling roadblocks on the northbound carriageway to allow slow-moving gritters onto the carriageway.