130 cars in huge pile-up New Sheppey Crossing bridge in Kent after thick fog

Emergency services swarm across the bridge after the crash. Credit: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

Police have re-opened the A249 in Kent after about 130 vehicles were involved in a pile-up in misty conditions on the New Sheppey Crossing bridge - the largest ever fog-related crash in Britain. Eight people were seriously injured but there were no fatalities.

ITV News Correspondent Dan Rivers reports:

Chief Inspector Andy Reeves from Kent Police said he had never seen such a crash in 20 years. "From my perspective, it's truly miraculous. It's very fortunate there were no fatalities."

Neil Greig, policy and research director at the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) also spoke of his surprise at the lack of fatalities saying: "It is amazing that the same time it is also not the biggest in terms of people killed."

The bridge links the Isle of Sheppey to Kent. Credit: ITV News

Drivers involved are likely to be out of pocket as they faced paying the first £200 to £300 in accident claims, the president of AA said.

Edmund King suggested that "stupid driving" from some, who could well have been travelling far too close to the vehicle in front and not using their fog lights, was a potential cause.

The pile-up closed the bridge in both directions for hours after traffic covered almost its entire length. Credit: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

Conservative MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey Gordon Henderson has said he would be talking to the authorities after the crash saying he had concerns about the design of the new bridge's lighting.