M54 crash causes rush-hour misery

Rush-hour drivers faced long delays today after a car smashed into the central reservation on the M54. Highways officials closed a lane westbound between Albrighton and Shifnal.

The lane was closed to remove debris from the accident and to clear up fuel after the drama at 6.45am.

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Traffic built up on the A5 for several hours afterwards as commuters took detours.

A spokesman for the West Midlands Ambulance Service said they sent one crew to the scene who treated one person for minor injuries. The casualty did not need hospital treatment.

The accident was the second on the road in the less than 24 hours.

Rush hour drivers faced delays of more than an hour yesterday afternoon after a Mini collided with a van on the eastbound carriageway.

The female driver of the Mini was rushed to New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton, suffering chest and shoulder pain following the crash, which happened between junction two and junction three. The van driver was not injured.

West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman Chris Kowalik said paramedics were called to the scene shortly after 3pm.

"The mini driver had chest and shoulder pain. She was given pain relief and was immobilised with the use of a spinal board and neck collar and was taken to New Cross Hospital for further assessment and treatment," he said.

All three lanes of the motorway were closed while emergency services attended, with them all being reopened after around an hour.