M54 drama: Driver tried to use car to stop lorry going the wrong way down the motorway
A driver has described the terrifying moments he attempted to use his own car to stop a lorry from going the wrong way down the M54.
Richard Soame, 46, of Telford, was driving on the Stafford Park link road to the M54 in Telford on Saturday evening when he saw the HGV hit another car before heading the wrong way down the dual carriageway.
Mr Soame was driving on the opposite side of the carriageway when he saw the lorry travelling in the same direction as him – but on the wrong carriageway.
He said: "The driver was going towards the motorway and so I was flashing the lights at anyone coming towards the town centre to warn them that there was something wrong in front of them.
"I went round the island and said to myself if I have to risk the car I will because it could save someone's life."
Mr Soame was then heading towards the oncoming lorry.
"I got right in front of him and as soon as I did I saw the lorry accelerate and I thought 'his speed is too much, this will not be a slow impact', so I moved out and went past him and back around to do the same again. I thought I could get round to block the island and stop him getting on to the M54. When I came back round there was a woman stopped in the smallest car on the road in front of him and she was starting to reverse back towards the motorway."
Mr Soame said it was the female driver who had done the most to slow the driver down and praised her for her actions.
Police confirmed the driver of the lorry had been arrested and remained in custody.
