THE A1(M) northbound was closed for eight hours yesterday (January 10) - leading to a five mile tailback after a serious collision on the A-road that saw three people rushed to hospital.
After occuring at 7.20am in the morning between junctions 62 (Carville) and 63 (Chester-le-Street), the three car collision blocked the road, as the emergency services investigated the factors leading to the crash.
In the aftermath of the incident and closure, the emergency services have issued statements and appeals.
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Here's what we know so far:
Police are appealing for information following the serious collision on the A1(M) - involving a blue VW Touran, white Fiat 500 and a black Renault Captur.
Two people were taken to University Hospital of North Durham, while a female motorist was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary Hospital in Newcastle with serious injuries.
The crash was attended by police vehicles, four fire engines, two ambulances and two units from the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART).
Officers investigating the crash are keen to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the collision or with dashcam footage of the incident to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Paul Oliver from the Road Policing Unit on 101 quoting incident number 43 of January 10.
A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We were called to reports of a multi-vehicle road traffic collision on the A690/A1 northbound around the Durham area at 7.21am.
"We dispatched two ambulance crews and two crews from our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) and transported two patients to University Hospital of North Durham and one patient was transported to the Royal Victoria Infirmary."
A County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson added: "Three appliances from Durham, High Handenhold and the Target response vehicle (TRV) from Durham attended the incident and made the vehicles safe. Fire crews left the scene at 8:39am.”
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