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M4 opens after fatal lorry crash Long delays after fatal M4 crash
(about 4 hours later)
The M4 has partially reopened after huge delays were caused by a fatal lorry crash between High Cross and Malpas at Newport. Motorists on the outskirts of Newport are still facing long queues after a fatal lorry crash on the M4 motorway.
Traffic jams of 10 miles eastbound and five miles westbound built up during the morning rush hour on Thursday. A lorry driver died when his vehicle overturned after a collision with the central reservation between Malpas and High Cross at 0215 BST.
The M4 was shut in both directions between J28 (Tredegar Park) and J24 (Coldra) until lunchtime on Thursday.
Delays continued into the evening rush hour with five mile tailbacks on the A449 southbound and A48 congestion.
Drivers heading south on the A449 are being diverted off the dual carriageway at Usk.
There is also queuing traffic on the motorway slip roads in both directions.
Slow traffic and long delays are also being reported on the A465 Heads of the Valleys road and the A467 in Rogerstone as motorists seek other routes to avoid the problems on the motorway.
Speed restriction
The M4 itself on the stretch skirting Newport is reported to be busy in he evening rush hours with delays for drivers both way.
One lane has been completely closed east and westbound between J27 (High Cross) and J28 (Tredegar Park) for repairs to the damaged central barriers of the M4. A 40mph speed restriction is in place here.
In the accident the articulated vehicle overturned and collided with the central barrier at 0217 BST on Thursday.
Around 60m of the central reservation was destroyed in the crash and that section of the motorway is not expected to be fully reopened till Tuesday.
During recovery attempts, the vehicle partially disintegrated, which led to further delay. Fruit which the truck had been transporting also had to be cleared from the road.
The 55-year-old lorry driver from Hampshire, was trapped in the cab and subsequently died. An investigation is under way
Earlier traffic jams of 10 miles eastbound and five miles westbound built up during the morning rush hour.
Thousands of motorists were affected by the delays
The M4 was shut in both directions between Tredegar Park at J28 and Coldra at J24 until lunchtime.The M4 was shut in both directions between Tredegar Park at J28 and Coldra at J24 until lunchtime.
Traffic was diverted onto the A48 Southern Distributor Road, and knock-on delays occurred across the region.Traffic was diverted onto the A48 Southern Distributor Road, and knock-on delays occurred across the region.
The articulated vehicle overturned and collided with the central barrier at 0217 BST on Thursday. The incident happened between High Cross and Malpas but several junctions were closed.
Thousands of motorists were affected by the delays
Inspector Huw Watkins, from Gwent Police, said the vehicle was lying across both carriageways and about 60m of the central reservation was demolished.
The driver, a 55-year-old man from Hampshire, was trapped in the cab, and subsequently died. It is not thought any other vehicle was involved and an investigation is under way.
During recovery attempts, the vehicle partially disintegrated, which led to further delay. Fruit which the truck had been transporting also had to be cleared from the road.
The closure of the road was necessary as we needed to preserve the scene in order for a thorough investigation to take place Inspector Lee Ford from Gwent Police Roads Policing Unit
While two lanes are back in operation, the outside lane in both directions remained closed because of damage to the central reservation and it is unlikely to reopen fully until Tuesday.
There is a 40mph speed limit in place along the section affected.
A minor collision also occurred at junction 25 eastbound which added to traffic delays encountered by commuters.A minor collision also occurred at junction 25 eastbound which added to traffic delays encountered by commuters.
Inspector Lee Ford from Gwent Police Roads Policing Unit said: "The closure of the road was necessary as we needed to preserve the scene in order for a thorough investigation to take place.Inspector Lee Ford from Gwent Police Roads Policing Unit said: "The closure of the road was necessary as we needed to preserve the scene in order for a thorough investigation to take place.
"It was of paramount importance that the road was made safe for motorists to use."It was of paramount importance that the road was made safe for motorists to use.
I'm worried about not being there for my colleagues, if it is busy it can get really stressful Katie Watkins, nurse at the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport 'Very frustrating'
"We are now concentrating efforts to get traffic flowing freely and we would thank the public for their continued patience and co-operation." The road closures and traffic delays have caused problems for thousands of motorists in south Wales.
The closure affected thousands of motorists.
Roger Harris, an area manager for the travel company Portman, told how it had taken him nearly three and a half hours to travel 20 miles of a 160-mile journey.Roger Harris, an area manager for the travel company Portman, told how it had taken him nearly three and a half hours to travel 20 miles of a 160-mile journey.
"I set off at quarter to seven this morning from my home in Penarth," he said."I set off at quarter to seven this morning from my home in Penarth," he said.
"I'm trying to get to Fareham for a meeting. I was supposed to be there at half past nine and I'd given myself plenty of time."I'm trying to get to Fareham for a meeting. I was supposed to be there at half past nine and I'd given myself plenty of time.
"It is very frustrating. And more so because I haven't seen a police car or traffic officer at all. Another motorist Iwan Thomas from Cardiff who is travelling to Caernarfon with a colleague said he had gone just three miles along the A48 in four hours on Thursday afternoon.
"There is no one to make sure the traffic is moving. It's very frustrating." Mr Thomas said:"(We've had nothing to eat, nothing to drink all day. We're going stir crazy."