Devon and Cornwall Police said the A38 closure near Lee Mill followed a serious collision involving a motorcycle and two vehicles on Thursday, August 6. The road shut in both directions near Plymouth, and police told drivers to avoid the area while they worked at the scene.
The force said it was called shortly before 10am after the collision near Lee Mill, on the stretch between Plympton and Lee Mill heading towards Ivybridge. It said road closures covered both the carriageway and slip roads, and the motorcyclist suffered serious injuries.
National Highways on B3416 and B3213
At 2pm, National Highways said the A38 remained closed in both directions in Devon between B3416 Plympton and B3213 Ivybridge for Devon and Cornwall Police investigations after a serious collision. It reported delays of up to 35 minutes on the approach and around 2 miles of congestion.
Inrix said at 3.15pm that the A38 Devon Expressway in both directions was closed at Plymouth Road in Lee Mill and then at Lee Mill Junction because of an accident involving a car and motorbike. Inrix also said the road was likely to stay shut for several hours while investigation work continued.
Devon and Cornwall Police at Lee Mill
Devon and Cornwall Police later said the rider, a man in his 20s from Plymouth, was pronounced dead at the scene. That changed the picture from the earlier statement that he had suffered serious injuries, and it left the investigation focused on what caused the collision on the A38 near Lee Mill.
Motorists reported queueing on nearby routes, including Cornwood and Sparkwell, where one said the lanes and roads were chockablock and another described the area as chaos. For drivers, the immediate reality was a closed main route and no quick alternative through the surrounding villages.
