Motorcyclist seriously injured in A3(M) crash

Hampshire police have now confirmed a motorcyclist was seriously injured in the afternoon crash yesterday.

Officers said it involved a Vauxhall Astra and a motorbike on the A3(M) at Waterlooville.

A police spokeswoman said: ‘The 47-year-old motorcyclist suffered serious injuries and was taken to QA.

‘Lane 2 was closed but the hard shoulder was opened while the incident was being dealt with.’

Earlier a first pile-up took place on the northbound carriageway at 6.30am. Three vehicles were involved, including two vans and a car, leaving five people with minor injuries.

It blocked a lane between junction 2 at Horndean and junction 1 for Clanfield with delays still affecting traffic almost two hours later.

Then just before 5.30pm the crash involving the seriously-injured motorcyclist closed the same area of road, this time on the southbound junction.

This caused mayhem on the roads for at least two hours, with tailbacks stretching more than ten miles, drivers said, leaving motorists to face up to 80 minutes of delays.

Police closed off all the southbound lanes for about 30 minutes.

Driver Samuel Poole was caught up in both crashes as he commuted from Hilsea to his work in Rake, north of Petersfield.

Speaking of evening crash, he said: ‘The traffic was horrendous. On one occasion motorists were switching off their engines and getting out of their vehicle to stand up. It wasn’t too much fun in the heat either.

‘I work in Rake, and delays began more or less immediately after coming into the A3 at Petersfield, just before Buriton. What was a 30 minute drive took me an hour and 40 minutes to get back to Hilsea.’