DRIVERS heading along Loch Lomondside at the start of the Easter holiday weekend are facing longer journey times than usual after HGV went off the road and into a grass verge.

Temporary traffic lights have been put in place at Stuckgowan, south of Tarbet, after the lorry left the road at around 3am on Friday.

The vehicle's cab came to rest against a tree just a few feet from Loch Lomond itself.

Police Scotland said the vehicle's driver was uninjured.

Traffic is reported to be "very heavy" in the area as a result.

Traffic Scotland say that full recovery will require a closure of both lanes of the A82 for safety reasons.

To minimise disruption to traffic during the Easter weekend and avoid closing this busy road, Police Scotland have requested temporary traffic lights remain in place to protect motorists from the HGV and verge until recovery is completed, planned to take place early on the morning of Saturday, April 15.

Traffic lights will be manually controlled by teams on site to ensure traffic flows can be managed effectively.

Eddie Ross, north-west representative for BEAR Scotland, which maintains the trunk route, said: “Trunk road safety is our top priority, so we’ve made the area around the HGV safe for road users to get past until full recovery can be arranged.

“We also understand that roads are busier due to the Bank Holiday weekend, so rather than close the road to recover the vehicle which will have a large impact to motorists, Police Scotland have arranged for temporary traffic lights to remain in place instead.

“We thank motorists for their patience in advance, and encourage them to plan their journey in advance by checking Traffic Scotland for updates.”

Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.trafficscotland.org or twitter @trafficscotland.