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| M4 opens after fatal lorry crash | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The M4 has partially reopened after huge delays were caused by a fatal lorry crash between High Cross and Malpas at Newport. | |
| Traffic jams of 10 miles eastbound and five miles westbound built up during morning rush hour on Thursday. | |
| 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | |
| 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. | |
| 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 | 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 |
| "We are now concentrating efforts to get traffic flowing freely and we would thank the public for their continued patience and co-operation." | |
| 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. | |
| "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. | "It is very frustrating. And more so because I haven't seen a police car or traffic officer at all. |
| "There is no one to make sure the traffic is moving. It's very frustrating." | "There is no one to make sure the traffic is moving. It's very frustrating." |