Bristol M5 motorway closed after pick-up smashes into electricity pole

The M5 motorway near Bristol was closed in both directions after a pick-up truck smashed into an electricity pole and brought down power cables.

Thousands of commuters were caught up in jams after the motorway was shut in both directions.

Police closed the motorway southbound between junctions 18 Avonmouth to junction 20 Clevedon, and northbound between junction 22 Burnham-on-Sea and junction 18 Avonmouth.

At 10.30am they reopened junction 20 at Clevedon for drivers heading south, and also shortened the northbound closure to junction 19 Gordano.

Then at 11.30am police opened all three lanes of the motorway southbound, and two lanes northbound.

The Portbury Hundred road near Portishead also reopened at 11.10am.

Drivers were hit with long delays and miles of tailbacks built up. Police and the Highways Agency had first said that the motorway could be closed all day.

Only one vehicle was involved in the crash.

Three people travelling in the red Nissan pick-up were taken to the Bristol Royal Infirmary by Great Western Ambulance Service but were not believed to be suffering serious injuries.

Two patients were walking wounded and the other was suffering neck pain.

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset police said: "Decisions to close the motorway are never taken lightly as police officers are aware of the impact this has on local people who are trying to get to work, drop children off at school and go about their daily business."

Last month the M5 was closed by police at Avonmouth bridge after a man fell 100ft to his death.

Officers at first insisted closing the motorway was the right course of action, but later apologised to all the motorists who was left stranded.

The closure led to tailbacks of more than 30 miles at the start of one of the busiest weekends of the year.

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