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M5 closed in Somerset due to ice and collisions on road M5 in Somerset closed due to ice on road
(about 1 hour later)
Part of the M5 in Somerset has been closed in both directions due to ice on the road. Motorists faced long delays when a large stretch of the M5 in Somerset was closed due to ice.
The motorway was shut between junction 21, near Weston-super-Mare, and junction 18A, near Bristol, at around 0900 GMT after freezing temperatures were recorded overnight. Both carriageway of the motorway were closed in both directions at around 09:00 GMT after freezing temperatures were recorded overnight.
The M49 Avonmouth bridge is also closed in both directions. Police also closed the Avonmouth bridge near Bristol.
Highways England said the motorway will stay closed until gritters can attend. The motorway has reopened after gritters were sent out to de-ice the road surface. Congestion is still being reported on some routes.
The agency said there had been three separate crashes in the morning, causing the closure of the northbound carriageway between junctions 21 and 18, and southbound between junction 18 and junction 19. Highways England said there had been three crashes.
The stretch between junction 18 and 19 has now been re-opened in both directions. The police closed the northbound carriageway between junction 21, near Weston-super-Mare and Junction 18, near Bristol.
Signed diversion routes are in place and drivers have been advised to allow extra time for their journeys while the area is cleared. They also closed the southbound section between junctions 18 and 19 while vehicles were recovered.
Police said there had been one or two "minor prangs" on the bridge which led to its closure while the vehicles were recovered, but that the road was gritted overnight. Police said there had been one or two "minor prangs" on the Avonmouth bridge which led to its closure, but that the road was gritted overnight.
Queues of traffic are reported to be building in both directions with long lines of cars along the A4 Portway into Bristol as drivers divert away. Queues of traffic stretched for miles in both directions as diversions were put into place.
BBC weather presenter Emily Wood said temperatures had reached freezing or just below in the Bristol area overnight as forecast.BBC weather presenter Emily Wood said temperatures had reached freezing or just below in the Bristol area overnight as forecast.
She said: "At present it is still freezing but temperatures should reach around 5 degrees this afternoon before dipping below freezing again overnight."She said: "At present it is still freezing but temperatures should reach around 5 degrees this afternoon before dipping below freezing again overnight."