A community has been left devastated after a man died in a "horrible" crash on a busy carriageway. Neighbours in Clifton expressed their condolences to the family and said the traffic was a "nightmare" this morning after a fatal collision on A453 which saw the road closed for most of the day.
Nottinghamshire Police said an investigation is underway after the two vehicles involved crashed on the A453 Remembrance Way, near Ratcliffe-on-Soar, at around 4.48am on Wednesday (May 4). Traffic monitoring site Inrix reported one vehicle involved was a motorbike. The collision happened between Green Street in Clifton and West Leake Lane, in Ratcliffe on Soar.
Trevor Smith, who lives in Clifton, said he had to divert this morning on his way to work shortly after 6am. He told Nottinghamshire Live: "I work in insulation in a power station, and I was on my way there. We were asked to divert."
READ MORE: Live A453 Nottingham updates as road remains closed after man dies in serious crash
The 76-year-old described the chaos in traffic from this morning and said: "Everyone was going in the same direction. It was an absolute nightmare, especially for those who were heading to M1.
"This is a dual carriageway, a fast road," he added. "The driving conditions were not bad, so we will see what the investigation concludes."
He said: "I want to send my condolences to the family. It is sad."
John Powdrill, who also lives in Clifton, went on and said: "It is horrible. It is always sad when someone dies."
He added: "It is a fast and busy road, but I do not think it is dangerous." Mr Powdrill also said that the area was busier than usual, with congestions in some parts.
"There were parents complaining at the Gotham school this morning saying that they could not stop across the road because of the traffic," added. "It is just very sad and horrible."
Anne Newbold, who works in the Boots warehouse and also lives in Clifton, has voiced her concerns over the "dangerous roads" around the area. She added: "We have it quite a lot around here."
The 63-year-old said: "It is very busy, especially in the morning. And some drive dangerously. I do not know the circumstances of this incident, but I noticed that some people are too impatient when they are driving.
"It is a nightmare", she added. "It is really bad."
Darren Kirkby, who drives in the area, described the roads in the suburb as "rough". The 55-year-old added: "My condolences and thoughts go to the family at this time. It is very sad."
The A453 is open northbound. But police said traffic remained at a standstill. Motorists heading southbound to the M1 are being turned around at Mill Hill. A warning to avoid the area has been issued.
Sergeant Steve Waft, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This is a tragic incident and our thoughts are with this man’s family and friends at this sad time. Our investigation is still in its early stages and we are working hard to understand exactly what happened. We are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or any drivers who may have recorded dash-cam footage to please get in touch with us. Anyone with any information is urged to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 52 of 4 May 2022."
