AN ACCIDENT, late-night shopping and the return of day-trippers from the coast combined to halt the flow of traffic on the A64 near York.

Traffic was reduced to one lane in each direction when a motorhome overturned on the central reservation. The accident happened at about 2pm yesterday at the junction with the A1237, at Copmanthorpe, when a Fiat motorhome suffered a tyre blow-out.

It careered into the central reservation, taking out a large part of the fencing.

No one was hurt in the crash and the accident was cleared within an hour.

However, according to a spokesman from AA Roadwatch, the congestion continued for several hours as families headed towards York from the coastal resorts and shoppers headed into York for late-night shopping.

The spokesman said: "It has been busy on the A64 anyway because of the nicer weather, and the rush hour has been continuing later than normal. There was congestion because the right-hand lane of the A64 was closed down in each direction because of the accident.

"And Thursdays are also busy because of late-night shopping in York. It all just combined."

Updated: 11:04 Friday, August 08, 2003