Road reopens after nine-car pile up (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Three taken to hospital in horror smash just off A19 southbound in Teesside

1:13pm Monday 11th March 2013 in News By Julia Breen

A PILE-up involving nine vehicles left a motorist trapped between a lorry and a bus in Teesside this morning (MON MARCH 11).

The multiple smash on the A174 eastbound towards Redcar, which happened at 7.10am, caused gridlock on surrounding roads around Acklam, Thornaby and Yarm.

A blue Ford Focus was trapped between a single-decker Arriva bus, which was not carrying any passengers, and an articulated lorry.

A black Saab estate and a silver Vauxhall Corsa were also involved in the collision, which happened on the sliproad on to the A174 from the A19.

Fire crews worked to free the 33-year-old male driver of the Ford Focus Zetec and he, the 27-year-old bus driver and the 30-year-old male Corsa driver were taken to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

Cleveland Police said the exact nature of the injuries were not known, but they were not believed to be serious at this stage.

Police turned drivers back along the A174 towards the eastbound roundabout, but said some drivers were reversing up sliproads to find alternative routes.

Drivers were warned to stay away from the area and find different routes with the crash bringing traffic to a complete standstill. Arriva also had to divert buses as a result of the smash.

The A174 reopened just before 12.30pm today.