Two people were taken to hospital yesterday following a two vehicle crash on a busy road on the outskirts of Inverness.
The crash between a white Citroen van and a Silver Renault Clio happened on the A96 Inverness-Nairn road at the Balloch junction, heading toward Inverness, at about 7:10am.
The incident caused traffic chaos during the morning rush-hour after the road was closed for one hour and 20 minutes, before it was partially reopened to one lane and then fully reopened at 9pm.
Delays were reported as lasting up to 45 minutes and were exacerbated by the ongoing works in Culloden to improve the junction of Barn Church Road and Tower Road.
Following the collision, two people were taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for treatment, and a police spokesman described their injuries yesterday as “not life-threatening.”
Two fire crews from Inverness and a heavy rescue unit from the city were also in attendance and firefighters administered first aid before handing the casualties over to paramedics at the scene.
Following the accident, the passenger side of the silver Renault Clio and the bonnet of the white Citroen van were left badly crumpled.
Debris from both cars was strewn across the road and on the grass verge.
Yesterday chairman of Smithton and Culloden Community Council, David McGrath, said his daughter-in-law was held up as she travelled a few miles east from her home in Smithton to work in Balloch.
He added: “She was trying to get up the hill at Balloch to get to work. She is a carer and was going there to see one of her clients and was held up in queues for about 30 minutes.”
Meanwhile, a woman suffered minor injuries after the car she was driving crashed on the A862 Inverness-Lentran road at Bunchrew, at about 6:20am yesterday.
The road was initially closed but fully reopened at about 7:15am.
A police spokesman said that an ambulance was in attendance and the woman was treated by paramedics for minor injuries. It is unclear whether she was taken to hospital for further treatment.