POLICE have confirmed a man has died following a crash on the Westlink in Belfast earlier on Wednesday.
The Westlink has now reopened to traffic.
The closure of the main arterial road in the city between Divis Street and Broadway caused major traffic delays for motorists during rush-hour traffic.
The dead man's vehicle crashed on the country bound lane close to Roden Street shortly before 2.55pm.
Chief Inspector Normal Haslett thanked motorists for their patience as the emergency services carried out detailed investigations at the crash scene.
He said: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank the public for their patience and understanding during the closure. We are aware of the difficulties and frustration caused by this closure and the major delays and inconvenience caused to commuters and families trying to get home.
“It is with reluctance that we close any road, particularly a busy thoroughfare such as the Westlink however, following any fatal road traffic collision police have an obligation to carry out a full and thorough investigation into the exact circumstances of the collision and the scene must be closed in order for that investigation to take place.”
He appealed for information and asked for anyone who witnessed the collision to contact local police or the Collision Investigation Unit on 101 quoting reference number 611 of 25/01/17.
Road users are advised to avoid travelling into or through Belfast or to delay their journey home if possible to avoid the congestion.
— Trafficwatch NI (@TrafficwatchNI) January 25, 2017
Motorists are advised that, due to RTC on Westlink, there are long delays across Belfast. Motorists should delay their journey if possible
— PSNI (@PoliceServiceNI) January 25, 2017
