A woman died and a man was taken to hospital in a serious condition during a horror morning on the region’s roads yesterday.
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Two crashes caused long delays for traffic at Hexham and Beresfield between 7am and noon.
A 30-year-old woman from Warners Bay died when her small four-wheel-drive crashed into the rear of a van in one of the north-bound lanes of Maitland Road just after 7am.
Emergency services attended the scene, near Clark Street, but the woman had died by the time they arrived.
The driver of the van was not injured but was taken to the Calvary Mater hospital for mandatory drug and urine tests.
Police were still notifying the woman’s family members of the incident at the time the Mercury went to print and had not released her name.
Meanwhile, emergency services were called to a second incident at 7.15am, on the New England Highway at Beresfield, after a cyclist collided with a car near John Renshaw Drive.
Paramedics took the man, aged in his 40s, to John Hunter Hospital in a serious but stable condition.
An Ambulance NSW spokeswoman said the man suffered head injuries during the crash.
She said the driver of the other vehicle was not taken to hospital.
Traffic banked up while emergency services closed one lane at each crash site so they could clear the scene.
A Roads and Maritime Services traffic management centre spokeswoman said there was a queue of traffic about 3km long at 10.30am.
She said both roads were opened again just before noon.
Police are investigating the cause of each incident.
Police are appealing for any witnesses to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.