A55 vehicle fire and crash sparks major delays - live updates

Major disruptions have hit the A55 this morning with a vehicle fire and separate crash causing significant delays for commuters heading into North Wales. The fire occurred westbound near Rhos on Sea, forcing authorities to close the road in that direction.

Traffic Wales confirmed the closure, stating "The road is currently closed due to a vehicle fire Emergency services are on scene Expect delays if you re in the area." Emergency services arrived quickly to tackle the blaze at Junction 20 on the B5115 Brompton Avenue in Colwyn Bay. Camera footage from Traffic Wales showed major queues building as traffic was diverted off the carriageway, with motorists directed to use the A574 Conway Road as an alternative route.

Compounding the disruption was a separate accident near the Posthouse Roundabout. According to traffic monitoring service Inrix, the A55 westbound was partially blocked with queueing traffic extending from Junction 39 at the A41 Sainsbury's Boughton Heath Roundabout to Junction 38 at the A483 Wrexham Road Posthouse Roundabout. This second incident was causing major delays for all traffic heading into North Wales on the westbound carriageway. The combination of the two incidents created severe congestion across the affected stretches of the expressway during peak travel hours.

The situation improved as emergency services cleared the fire and recovered the affected vehicles. Traffic Wales reported that the accident near the Posthouse Roundabout had been cleared and traffic was easing in the area. The road at Colwyn Bay was reopened, allowing vehicles to resume normal flow on the A55 westbound. Live updates on the incident were provided throughout the morning as the situation developed.