TRAFFIC chaos hit York over the Bank Holiday weekend as the city's outer ring road ground to a halt following a smash.

Hundreds of motorists heading out to make the most of the glorious spring sunshine were caught in queues up to two hours long on the A64.

Two people were seriously injured in the accident, which happened on the eastbound carriageway just south of the A1079 junction, at Grimston Bar, at about 12.50pm on Saturday.

A three-wheeled motorbike was the only vehicle involved in the crash and its two passengers, a man and a woman, were taken to York Hospital by paramedics.

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance was called to the scene. A North Yorkshire Police spokesman later said the pair's condition was "poorly, but stable."

A motorist who drove past the scene just minutes after the crash, said: "The ambulance had just got there and some cars were still going past.

"The police hadn't shut the road yet, but the queues were already starting to build."

Officers closed the eastbound carriageway after the smash and diverted drivers from the A19 junction at Fulford, causing jams into York on the A19.

Malcolm Slater, of Huntington, York, was returning home and found himself trapped on the slip-lane at the Fulford junction.

"We never moved for two hours," he said.

"People were walking about the carriageway and then some people started to come back down the slip road.

"After a while a policeman came up and told us they had cleared the slip road and we went down to the A19 roundabout.

"It was absolute chaos into York. I had to go to Wheldrake and Elvington to get home."

He added: "The A64 was jammed for as far as the eye could see. People were getting very frustrated and we did not know what was happening."

Meanwhile, drivers travelling on the Bank Holiday today were warned to plan their trips carefully and be aware of congestion on roads to and from the coast.

A spokeswoman for the RAC said: "The traffic has been busier on roads to and from the coast as a lot of people are returning from short breaks over Easter or have been there over the last week.

"We are expecting it to remain busy today and even into next week if the good weather continues."

She added: "People should leave more time for their journey, plan it properly and if there is an alternative route, use that."