MAYHEM ON THE A1
Four hurt, traffic chaos, miles of tailbacks
FOUR people were rushed to hospital following a serious crash on the A1 in Newcastle which left a car overturned and caused serious delays on the key road.
The two-vehicle collision at the junction for Kenton Bar and Kingston Park yesterday morning forced emergency services to close the northbound carriageway for more than four hours.
Northumbria Police confirmed that four people were taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary by ambulance.
It is believed that their injuries are not life-threatening.
Footage from the scene showed an overturned red vehicle a short distance behind a damaged purple vehicle on the side of the road.
A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called to reports of a road traffic collision on the northbound carriageway of the A1 at 11.19am.
“We dispatched eight resources and we have taken four patients by road to the RVI.”
Diversions were put in place on the road to allow the injured to be supported and for an investigation to be carried out.
Tailbacks formed from junction 77 and stretched as far back as the Metrocentre in Gateshead.
The northbound carriageway reopened at 4.30pm, but traffic remained busy throughout rush hour on the surrounding routes.