MOTORISTS faced gridlock across York today after two accidents on a North Yorkshire motorway triggered road chaos in the city.

Cars queued on the A64 eastbound from Tadcaster to the Hopgrove Roundabout, as drivers tried to avoid severe problems on the A1 northbound.

Many major roads on the outskirts of York were also snarled up as jams spread to the outer ring road.

Police closed junction 47 of the A1 after a man was knocked down by a lorry after climbing out of his car. The vehicle had overturned on the northbound carriageway, near junction 47 at Boroughbridge, just before 5am.

A fire service spokeswoman said: "The driver got out, but was then hit by a passing HGV. He is believed to have broken an arm and a leg and was taken to hospital."

Problems escalated when three heavy goods vehicles then collided at 6.30am near junction 48 northbound.

The fire spokeswoman said: "Two vehicles were slowing down at road works and the third ran into the back of the other two, trapping the driver in the cab."

The man was taken to hospital with a suspected broken ankle while the driver of the second HGV was given oxygen at the scene after complaining of chest pains. He did not want to go to hospital.

Junction 47 was closed and traffic was diverted on to the A59.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said no accidents were reported on the A64 into York this morning.

He said: "We think the queues have been caused by people coming off the A1 and trying to find a way around the diversion."

The traffic chaos delayed all cases at York Crown Court today because both judges were caught in the massive tailbacks.

Judge Sally Cahill QC was an hour late arriving, but the Honorary Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman, was even later. He usually arrives a good hour before court starts.

Updated: 13:11 Friday, June 24, 2005