A DRIVER is believed to have escaped without suffering serious injuries after his vehicle came off the flyover on the A329 bridge.

The lorry fell off the stretch of road, landing below onto the A327 (Southampton Street) resulting in a full closure for around two hours.

The A327 reopened, with long queues of traffic continuing late into Friday evening. However, the A329 flyover still remains closed as Saturday morning.

Only one lane is now open eastbound on the flyover.

A spokesman for Reading Borough Council confirmed the Inner Distribution Road flyover would remain closed westbound for most of Saturday.

This will be the case until replacement concrete safety barriers are put in place. This work is expected to take place on Saturday evening.

Diversions are in place via London Street, Crown Street and Southampton Street.

A Parcelforce lorry landed near the roundabout and members of Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to the scene on Friday afternoon.

Rosie Carpenter, who was driving her red Audi A3 behind the lorry, spoke to the Chronicle about the horrific incident.

She said: "I was driving across the Inner Distribution Road flyover just after 4pm when the Parcelforce lorry came across into the centre of the road over the central reservation kerb.

"It then proceeded to the barrier of the opposite side, where it crashed through and landed upside down under the bridge.

"I remember as the lorry went across the road I slammed on my brakes and abandoned my car in the middle of the road and ran to the opposite side. It was horrific to watch."

A spokesman for South Central Ambulance Service said: "We took a significant number of 999 calls from around 4.10pm this afternoon all reporting that a van had come off the flyover that heads down to the Oracle Shopping Centre in Reading, A327.

Reading Chronicle:

"The good news is, that the male driver has appeared to have escaped serious injury but we will be taking him to the Royal Berkshire Hospital for further assessment.

"We currently have a rapid response vehicle and an ambulance at the scene."

The road remains closed and Parcelforce Worldwide provided the following statement: "We are pleased to confirm that following the incident, the driver has not suffered any serious injuries.

"We have launched an investigation into how this happened and are helping the police with their enquiries.”

Reading Chronicle:

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: "Officers are on the scene of a collision in Bridge Street, Reading, where it appears a vehicle has fallen from the Inner Distribution Road.

"One person sustained minor injuries and is currently in hospital.

"There are road closures in the area, and motorists should follow the diversions in place."

A spokesman for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “This afternoon, we received a call to a report of a road traffic collision involving a large goods vehicle on Southampton Street, Reading.

"Firefighters made the vehicle safe, before placing a casualty in the care of South Central Ambulance Service.

"Crews have now handed the scene over to Thames Valley Police. Please avoid the area around the Oracle and Southampton Street if at all possible."