TRAFFIC ground to a standstill as drivers faced rush hour gridlock 'chaos' following a crash which left a cyclist with 'minor injuries' but closed a major road.

The cyclist sustained minor injuries but drivers faced long delays following the crash on the A449 which closed a section of the road near Ombersley, causing long tailbacks on Friday.

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: "Police were called to a collision on the A449 shortly after 7.20am this morning. The collision involved a car and a man on a bike.

"The cyclist sustained minor injuries. The road was closed at the junction for Ombersley and Droitwich but has since re-opened."

DELAYS: Long queues snaked along the A449 following the crash DELAYS: Long queues snaked along the A449 following the crash (Image: Newsquest)

Motorists travelling between Kidderminster and Worcester were diverted off the road at Doverdale near the Texaco garage as traffic jams stretched for miles with queues starting near the Mitre Oak for motorists heading towards Worcester. 

One driver from Hartlebury described how it took her two hours to get to work and that she 'contemplated giving up and going home to bed' after the nightmare commute.

Another driver, James Barker, said the sudden road closure caused 'traffic chaos on the A449' as drivers were diverted onto narrow roads which seemed incapable of coping with the volume of vehicles.

Mr Barker, an executive at a Worcester packaging company, described how the 15 mile journey between Kidderminster and Worcester usually took around 30 minutes but the closure of the road led to 'severe gridlock, with cars diverted down narrow country lanes, causing widespread confusion and delays'.

Mr Barker described the experience as “absolute chaos,” noting that what should have been a quick half-hour drive stretched into 'a gruelling 60 to 90-minute ordeal' with motorists forced onto winding country roads, which quickly became choked with traffic.

“There were incoming and ongoing cars nearly colliding as drivers struggled to navigate the narrow lanes,” said Mr Barker. 

READ MORE: A449 closed after crash: drivers face long delays

READ MORE: A449 crash delays: cyclist hurt in collision with car

He added: "Motorists, faced with no clear direction and mounting delays, were left frustrated. Some attempted to continue their journey, hoping to make it to work in good time, while others aborted the trip altogether, retreating to safety. One commuter reported seeing several cars turning back after deciding the gridlock wasn’t worth the risk."

He called for better traffic management and clearer signage during road closures.