Great Western Highway reopened: Five taken to hospital after two crashes outside of Bathurst

Live Traffic NSW made the announcement just after 4am on Tuesday morning.

Five people, including an infant, have been transported to hospitals across the region following two, separate smashes within one kilometre of the other on the Great Western Highway on Monday evening.

A mother and child were taken to Orange hospital in a stable condition as a result of one of the crashes at Walang, between Yetholme Drive and Sibleys Road.

The highway was slammed shut from 7pm, November 13 as emergency services attended the twin-crashes.

The other smash, the more significant of the two and less than 1km down the road, involved extracting a woman in her 20s from an embankment.

The car she was travelling in careered off the road after being involved in a crash with another vehicle. She has head and neck injuries.

A man and woman, both in their 60s, were transported to Bathurst hospital via road with chest injuries. Both, at time of publication, are reported as being in stable conditions.

The unusual, two crash event stopped traffic just west of Yetholme. Diversion are in place for light vehicles, however heavy vehicles were parked on the highway for a period of time, resulting in large lines of cars in the area.

A diversion for heavy vehicles has been enacted, though, via Jenolan Caves Road at Hartley, Duckmaloi Road, O'Connell Road and then back to the highway at Kelso. Transport for NSW Authorities says to allow plenty of extra time for this diversion.

The highway remains closed as of 9pm and the crash investigation unit is on the scene.

First report

Two people have been transported to hospital while traffic along the Great Western Highway remains at a stand-still following a two-car crash near Walang on Monday evening.

The highway, the main road connecting the Central West and Sydney was closed shortly after 7pm, November 13.

Live Traffic is reporting a two-car crash on the highway, near the intersection with Sibleys Road at Walang, east of Bathurst.

There are unconfirmed reports of a separate, two-car crash 500 metres away as well.

Emergency services and Transport for NSW authorities are on the scene. Two people have been transported by road to Bathurst Hospital.

ACM has contacted NSW Police and NSW Ambulance for more details.

The Great Western Highway is shut in both directions as a result, but the diversion in place is only suitable for light vehicles, meaning heavy vehicles are being parked on the highway.

Diversion:

The advice from authorities is to exercise caution, use diversions and allow extra travel time.

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