TRAFFIC chaos on the A12 lasted for hours after an overturned lorry spilled diesel onto the road before several vehicles got involved in an accident.

Five-mile queues formed on the northbound carriageway after a lorry overturned during a crash yesterday at about 5am.

The incident happened at junction 25 for Marks Tey next to the roundabout for the A120.

Emergency services, including the police and paramedics were called to the scene.

An East of England Ambulance Service spokesman said an ambulance attended and one patient was taken to Colchester Hospital for further assessment and treatment.

Halstead Gazette: A man was transported to hospital following the incident. Picture: Highways EnglandA man was transported to hospital following the incident. Picture: Highways England

The large diesel spillage had to be assessed by Highways England service provides.

Drivers were stuck in the lengthy queues until the roads reopened at about 11am. The slip road was closed for five hours, while the A120 westbound was shut for nearly two hours.

Another accident then happened at about midday between junction 24 at Kelvedon north and junction 25 at Marks Tey.

Read more:

Essex County Council said the incident involved several vehicles blocking the carriageway, meaning queues already present built up even further.

Fire crews worked with paramedics to help rescue one casualty trapped in their vehicle.

A spokesman fir the service said: “The casualty was released by 12.55pm and left in the care of the ambulance service.”

India Jayatillake, chairwoman of Kelvedon Parish Council, was stuck in the traffic.

She said: “Traffic is a really big issue for the Kelvedon area for us all.

“Any time there are major queues on the A12, it becomes difficult for residents.

“It takes people up to 20 minutes to drive from one end of the High Street to the other following an accident.”

Work to widen lanes on the A12 between Marks Tey and Chelmsford into three lanes is set to start in 2023.

Highways England bosses say this is needed, not only to ease congestion, but also to make the road safer.

Ms Jayatillake said residents are strongly in favour widening the road.

She added: “The upgrades should make the road much better, as the road is not wide enough right now.”

All the lanes reopened at about 2pm.