A stretch of the M4 motorway in Wiltshire remains closed following a serious collision between a coach and a car on Sunday. A man in his 20s is fighting for life in hospital after the crash, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Closure Details
The westbound carriageway is shut between Junction 14 (Hungerford) and Junction 15 for the A419 at Swindon East. The closure is expected to cause significant disruption for commuters during the Monday morning rush hour.
Wiltshire Police confirmed that the driver, in his 20s, was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. National Highways has stated that the road is not safe to reopen due to substantial spillage of oil and diesel on the road surface, necessitating full resurfacing.
Resurfacing Efforts
A spokesperson for National Highways said: "Every effort is being made to ensure the motorway will be re-opened before the morning peak travel period of Monday 27th April." Teams and replacement tarmac have been mobilised to work throughout Sunday night and into Monday morning.
However, National Highways has warned that the highway "is likely to remain closed for some time" while accident investigation work is carried out and the oil spillage is dealt with. All emergency services, including Wiltshire Police, are in attendance, with National Highways traffic officers providing assistance with traffic management.
Second Collision Adds to Chaos
In addition to the initial crash, a second serious collision was reported later on Sunday, further hampering traffic on the M4's westbound lanes. The M4 in Wiltshire remains closed westbound between Junction 16 (near Swindon) and Junction 17 (near Chippenham), National Highways confirmed.
Drivers are advised to avoid the area and seek alternative routes. Updates will be provided as the situation develops.
