Stray cattle cause rush-hour chaos on motorway

Published on Wednesday 2 April 2008 10:34

ONE of Scotland's busiest motorways was closed this morning after cows strayed onto the road following a crash involving a cattle truck

Motorists faced major rush hour disruption as police closed the entire M73 to try and contain the animals.

Rail services were also affected after one of the cows wandered onto the track and was struck by a locomotive engine at Baillieston, Glasgow.

A helicopter was sent up to fly around the area today to look for any more stray cows.

The cattle transporter crashed at around 6.05pm yesterday near junction 2 of the M73 and some animals were injured while others escaped.

The driver of the truck was not injured.

It was originally thought the cows had all been rounded up, but a small group of them strayed onto the road again at around 4.20am this morning.

Police initially shut the northbound slip road leading from the M74 to the M73 but later closed the entire M73.

Rail passengers on the Glasgow to Whifflet route also faced problems in the first half hour of service this morning as a result of the accident on the line.

First Scotrail said that four trains were cancelled but services were running as normal from 7.25am.

Network Rail said the train driver was not injured, though the locomotive was slightly damaged. There were no passengers on board the train.

Strathcldye Police said that the road re-opened at around 8.30am after the escaped cows were tracked down. The four animals all died.

One was struck by a train, one by a lorry and the remaining two were shot by a police marksman.

Police said it was not thought there were any more cows on the loose.