Congestion is building on the M6 and the M61

Highways and police have closed two lanes on the M6 southbound between junction 31 for Preston and junction 30 for the M61 due to a lorry with a shifted, unsafe load.

The load will need to be removed and the vehicle cleared before any of the lanes are re-opened.

A replacement vehicle and recovery is en-route.

Please plan your journeys accordingly. 

Traffic is building in the area and congestion is back to junction 31 with delays of 10 minutes and increasing. 

A spokesperson for Highways said: "The M6 south between J31 for Preston/Blackburn and J30 for the M61, two lanes (of four) closed due to a lorry with a shifted/unsafe load.

"The load will need to be removed before the vehicle can be cleared.

"A replacement lorry, fork lift and heavy recovery unit en-route."

NEW INCIDENT#M6 south between J31 #Preston #Blackburn and J30 #M61 #Lancashire^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

2 lanes (of 4) closed due to a lorry with a shifted/unsafe load.

The load will need to be removed before the vehicle can be cleared. A replacement lorry, fork lift and heavy recovery unit en-route. pic.twitter.com/sOGMolt8yG^[6]

— National Highways: North-West (@HighwaysNWEST) March 30, 2023^[7]

A further update provided by Highways at 8.15am stated: "Due to the state of the shifted load we expect removal and vehicle recovery to take some time.

"Expect the lanes to be closed throughout the morning. Four miles of congestion and 30 minute delay."

UPDATE#M6 south between J31 #Preston #Blackburn and J30 #M61 #Lancashire^{[8][9][10][11][12]}

Due to the state of the shifted load we expect removal and vehicle recovery to take some time. Expect the lanes to be closed throughout the morning.

4 miles of congestion and 30 min delay. pic.twitter.com/hHy4nQFEUK^[13]

— National Highways: North-West (@HighwaysNWEST) March 30, 2023^[14]

References

1. ^{^} #M6 (twitter.com)
2. ^{^} #Preston (twitter.com)
3. ^{^} #Blackburn (twitter.com)
4. ^{^} #M61 (twitter.com)
5. ^{^} #Lancashire (twitter.com)
6. ^{^} pic.twitter.com/sOGMolt8yG (t.co)
7. ^{^} March 30, 2023 (twitter.com)
8. ^{^} #M6 (twitter.com)
9. ^{^} #Preston (twitter.com)
10. ^{^} #Blackburn (twitter.com)
11. ^{^} #M61 (twitter.com)
12. ^{^} #Lancashire (twitter.com)
13. ^{^} pic.twitter.com/hHy4nQFEUK (t.co)
14. ^{^} March 30, 2023 (twitter.com)