A major road was closed for more than 10 hours following a serious accident. The A449 southbound was closed between the Raglan and Coldra junctions after the collision which happened just after the Usk interchange on Thursday morning
Gwent Police attended the scene, along with ambulance and fire crews. They confirmed that a car and a lorry were involved in the collision, which happened at around 5.30am, but the condition of the drivers is still unknown.
Following the incident, the road was closed while accident investigation work took place, with traffic temporarily held at a complete standstill. A diversion was then put in place, with traffic being moved onto the A40, while the road remained closed until long into Thursday afternoon.
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This is everything we know about the serious crash
Where did the crash happen?
The accident happened just after the Usk Interchange at around 5.30am on Thursday morning. It closed the A449 southbound from the interchange to the M4 J24 Coldra junction. This road closure was then extend to Raglan, with traffic being diverted via the A40.
Pictures from the scene showed traffic at a complete standstill, with some people standing outside of their vehicles as they waited to be moved. Accident investigation work continued long into the afternoon.
Was anybody injured in the crash?
Gwent Police confirmed in a statement that the collision involved a car and a lorry. However, the condition of those drivers involved in the accident is currently still unknown.
What was the emergency response?
Police received a report of a road traffic collision on the A449 at around 5.30am on Thursday, with officers attending to assist with traffic management, alongside personnel from the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service. The Welsh Ambulance Service also sent several crews to the scene, having been called at 5.37am.
How long was the road closed for?
The A449 southbound was closed between the Usk interchange and Coldra junction. This road closure was then extended to Raglan, with traffic being diverted via the A40.
Announcing the closure at just after 8am, Traffic Wales said it was expected to be in force for the majority of the day. According to traffic monitoring system Inrix, the southbound carriageway was still closed as of 4pm on Thursday as investigation work took place.
The latest from Inrix reads: "A449 Southbound closed due to accident investigation work from A40 (Raglan Interchange) to M4 J24 (Coldra). Traffic is coping well. The southbound entry slip from the A472 is also closed, following an accident. Diversion via the A40 towards Abergavenny and the A4042 through New Inn."
Emergency service statements
A few hours after the accident, a spokesperson for Gwent Police said: "We received a report of a road traffic collision on the A449, between Usk and Newport, at around 5.30am on Thursday 5 May. Officers attended to assist with traffic management, along with personnel from the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Welsh Ambulance Service.
"The collision involved a car and a lorry, and the road is closed between the Raglan and Coldra junctions. Diversions are in place and the incident is ongoing."
