Two people have been sent to hospital following a five-car crash which saw Oxford ring road close for most of the day.

Drivers were met with 70-minute delays on the A34 near the Botley interchange earlier today (August 18), after a multi-vehicle crash meant police were forced to close the northbound lane between Hinksey Hill and Pear Tree interchange, almost half of the entire ring road.

READ MORE: Serious crash shuts A34 near Abingdon for several hours

Thames Valley Police told the BBC that the crash involved a truck, three cars and a coach. 

Adding that two people have been taken to hospital with minor injuries.

An eyewitness said: “There were lots of fire vehicles in attendance.”

The eyewitness added that the slip road onto the A34 north was still open, but all the vehicles were being directed off the A34 north onto Botley interchange.

Both Thames Travel and the Oxford Bus Company warned the crash would “cause major disruption not only to Botley services but the Abingdon routes as well.”

National Highways put a diversion route in place, directing drivers to leave the A34 at Hinksey Hill interchange, then turn right at the roundabout and join the A4074, Oxford Southern Bypass.

The A34 northbound reopened at around 4.30pm, having been closed at roughly 2pm.

The A34 saw another crash three days ago (August 16) near the M40, with southbound lanes between Weston on the Green and the southbound services, near Starbucks, being closed.

And another severe crash at the end of July saw the southbound carriageway of the A34 near Abingdon closed for around six hours.

 

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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1