A 49-YEAR-OLD man has died after being hit by a lorry on the A40 westbound near Whitchurch.

The rush hour incident happened shortly before 6pm yesterday (Wednesday, September 4) between Pencraig and the Goodrich junction, and saw the road closed for some 10 hours while emergency services dealt with the scene.

The victim had reportedly left his vehicle at the side of the carriageway and was crossing the road when the collision happened.

West Mercia Police, Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service crews from Whitchurch and Ross-on-Wye and West Midlands Ambulance Service and the air ambulance all attended.

A police spokesperson said: “We were called to reports of a collision on the A40 Herefordshire westbound near Goodrich towards Whitchurch at 5.40pm last night (Wednesday) involving a man who had left his vehicle and was struck by a lorry.

“Fire service, ambulance and air ambulance also attended but unfortunately, the man in his 40s was pronounced dead at the scene.

“There was a road closure in place on the A40 westbound at this location at the time which was lifted around 3.45am this morning.”

Anyone who may have witnessed the collision, or has dashcam footage, is urged to contact PC 21777 Foster by emailing [email protected] or by calling 07970 544893 quoting incident 00343_I_04092024.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Upon arrival we found a man who was the pedestrian being cared for by bystanders.

“Unfortunately, it became clear that nothing more could be done to save him and he was confirmed deceased by ambulance staff at the scene. The driver of the lorry did not require treatment.”

Diversion routes were later put in place between Ross-on-Wye and Whitchurch.

One poster on Facebook said: "I was at the front of where the police closed the road. Very sad to see.

"The police let us leave the inner scene at 7.25pm. The A40 was still shut in both directions."

The stretch of dual carriageway where the accident happened has seen several fatalities.

In September 2018 a 29-year-old motorcyclist and a 34-year-old man who was walking across the carriageway both died in a collision near the Symonds Yat West services.

Six months later, a woman passenger in her 70s died after the car she was travelling in left the carriageway, hit a tree and ended up on a crash barrier.