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| M6 motorway in Birmingham reopens after lorry crash | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The M6 motorway in Birmingham has reopened after some parts were closed for several hours due to a lorry crash which crossed the central reservation. | |
| The southbound carriageway has now reopened and Highways England said the northbound lanes opened at 17:15 BST. | |
| The lorry crashed with a car and a van between junction six at Spaghetti Junction and junction seven at Great Barr at 10:30. | The lorry crashed with a car and a van between junction six at Spaghetti Junction and junction seven at Great Barr at 10:30. |
| The van driver suffered serious injuries. | |
| Motorist Mike Jones, who witnessed the collision, said he heard a loud bang. | Motorist Mike Jones, who witnessed the collision, said he heard a loud bang. |
| "I was driving to Coventry and I had just gone through the Great Barr junction, at junction 7, and there was an almighty bang and I thought 'oh my god what's that?'. | "I was driving to Coventry and I had just gone through the Great Barr junction, at junction 7, and there was an almighty bang and I thought 'oh my god what's that?'. |
| "All of a sudden I noticed this truck which had gone through the central reservation and a very, very badly knocked about pick-up truck." | "All of a sudden I noticed this truck which had gone through the central reservation and a very, very badly knocked about pick-up truck." |
| 'Some considerable time' | 'Some considerable time' |
| The northbound carriageway was closed at junction six and a rolling closure was in place on the southbound stretch while debris was recovered from the carriageway and repairs were carried out. | The northbound carriageway was closed at junction six and a rolling closure was in place on the southbound stretch while debris was recovered from the carriageway and repairs were carried out. |
| Congestion stretched back to junction five at Castle Bromwich and junction 10 for Wolverhampton. | Congestion stretched back to junction five at Castle Bromwich and junction 10 for Wolverhampton. |
| James Hawkes from Highways England said repairs were made to the barrier on the northbound carriageway before it was reopened. | James Hawkes from Highways England said repairs were made to the barrier on the northbound carriageway before it was reopened. |
| But he said the southbound carriageway would remain shut because of a diesel spillage. | But he said the southbound carriageway would remain shut because of a diesel spillage. |
| He said some of the delay was down to the incident initially being treated as a crime scene, so workers were not allowed full access to conduct repairs until police investigations were complete. | He said some of the delay was down to the incident initially being treated as a crime scene, so workers were not allowed full access to conduct repairs until police investigations were complete. |
| Driver Robert Murray, who witnessed the rescue operation from his car, described the scene as "busy". | Driver Robert Murray, who witnessed the rescue operation from his car, described the scene as "busy". |
| "There's a lorry that's come through the central reservation barrier... [there's] fire engines, a few police vehicles, fire engines on our side of the junction and fire engine and specialist equipment on the opposite side of the junction and a pick-up truck and ambulances." | "There's a lorry that's come through the central reservation barrier... [there's] fire engines, a few police vehicles, fire engines on our side of the junction and fire engine and specialist equipment on the opposite side of the junction and a pick-up truck and ambulances." |
| West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "A man in his 40s driving the van suffered chest, back and pelvic injuries together with a fractured arm. | West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "A man in his 40s driving the van suffered chest, back and pelvic injuries together with a fractured arm. |
| "He was immobilised with the use of a neck collar and spinal board and given pain relief." | "He was immobilised with the use of a neck collar and spinal board and given pain relief." |
| The service said he was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham and described his injuries as "serious". | The service said he was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham and described his injuries as "serious". |
| "The lorry driver was treated for chest pain and taken by ambulance to the City Hospital for further assessment and treatment," it said. | "The lorry driver was treated for chest pain and taken by ambulance to the City Hospital for further assessment and treatment," it said. |
| "A man travelling as a passenger in the car received minor injuries and was taken to Sandwell Hospital for assessment." | "A man travelling as a passenger in the car received minor injuries and was taken to Sandwell Hospital for assessment." |
| The Highways Agency said the recovery operation was likely "to be protracted". | |
| It advised fans heading to Villa Park for the Aston Villa match against Manchester United to seek an alternative route. | It advised fans heading to Villa Park for the Aston Villa match against Manchester United to seek an alternative route. |
| Motorist Mark Liddell told BBC Midlands Today he spent an hour-and-a-half trying to get on to the M6 from the M5 as he travelled from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to Aston in Birmingham, describing the situation as "havoc". | Motorist Mark Liddell told BBC Midlands Today he spent an hour-and-a-half trying to get on to the M6 from the M5 as he travelled from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to Aston in Birmingham, describing the situation as "havoc". |