Update:
8:30pm – The road has been fully reopened.
A cyclist is in a critical condition in hospital after he collided with a parked vehicle on a dual-carriageway in Co Clare this afternoon.
The incident occurred at around 3.40pm on southbound carriageway of the N18 at Smithstown between junctions 9 and 8.
It’s understood the lone cyclist was travelling towards Limerick at the time and pedalled into the rear of a work-van which was stopped in the hard shoulder.
Two ambulances responded to the scene along with Gardaí from Shannon and Ennis. Units of the fire brigade from Shannon Town and Ennis also attended the incident.
The cyclist was rushed to University Hospital Limerick for treatment. The man is understood to have suffered serious head injuries.
The southbound carriageway remains closed at junction 9 to facilitate a technical examination of the scene.
#CLARE Allow extra time to travel to Shannon Airport with N18 closure. More here: https://t.co/PSzIBsvOzE
— AA Ireland (@aaroadwatch) August 31, 2018
As a result of the diversions, traffic was backed up for several kilometres towards Ennis while workers travelling home from the many factories and offices in Shannon had also been diverted away from the area.
Gardaí have appealed for anyone who may have witnessed the collision to contact Shannon Garda Station on 061 365900.