THREE people were taken to hospital after a collision between a car and a van closed the A419 southbound carriageway this afternoon.

At just before 12.30pm, a white Ford Transit van and a black Nissan collided just after the slip road for Ashton Keynes. 

The Transit van overturned and came to rest on the hard shoulder, while the Nissan ploughed into the central reservation. A number of passing motorists saw the collision and several calls were made to the emergency services.

Police from both Wiltshire and Gloucestershire attended.

One fire crew from Cricklade also attended, but there was no need for any occupant to be cut from the vehicles.

Three walking wounded were taken to Great Western Hospital as a precaution and police closed the southbound carriageway for around 90 minutes one and a half hours while recovery work was conducted.

The closure caused traffic problems for people heading to and from Swindon throughout the afternoon, with diversions in place around the affected area.

A spokesperson for Wiltshire Police said: “Wiltshire Police received several calls at approximately 12.30pm reporting a road traffic collision involving two vehicles on the A419 southbound, just past the Ashton Keynes sliproad.

“One vehicle, a white Ford Transit van, had overturned and ended up in the hard shoulder, and the other vehicle, a black Nissan, had crashed into the central reservation. 

“Fire and ambulance crews were in attendance, as well as police officers from Gloucester as the incident happened on the Wiltshire/Gloucestershire border.

“All lanes of the A419 southbound were blocked by the collision.

“Three people have been taken to Great Western Hospital with minor injuries.”

A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service said: “We were called to the A419 at 12.30pm to reports of a two-vehicle road traffic collision between a car and a van.

“We had three casualties, all of whom sustained minor injuries and were taken to Great Western Hospital to be checked over and make sure they were okay.”

Anyone who witnessed the crash or has any information should contact police on non-emergency number 101.