M3 secrets

[Mojooo]

This is about the motorway not the car but presumably the right forum.

I was driving down the M3 motorway the other day from London towards Southampton and I had just gone past junction 4a towards junction 5...Fleet services is in between those junctions.

There was a vehicle fire on the other side of the motorway between junctions 5 and 4a (going towards London)

On my side (4a to 5) there was a fire engine behind with blue lights on - so logically it had to go back down to junction 5 and turn around to go back towards junction 4 (the fire was in the middle of those junctions).

The fire engine went off at Fleet services - I presume because there is some road which allows them to turn around and go back to the other side of the motorway...but how? I am fairly sure there was no fire in Fleet services but that could be the answer.

I had a look on Google maps

I can see on satellite view that there is actually a road that lets you go from the services onto the local roads but if you look at the street view it actually says its ANPR controlled- so I am guessing its for emergency services? I don't think this road is much use for the fire engine anyway as it doesn't seem to connect back to the motorway on the other side easily.

Is there some other way that I can't see on the map that would allow then to turn around quickly?

[Mojooo]

Ahh yes only just realised you can go back on from the other side

Although given they were bombing it down the hard shoulder I do wonder if it makes a huge difference v going down to 5 and back.