Huge delays on the M6 as two injured cows fall from a lorry “two-miles apart”

Published:

Tuesday, 1 August 2023, 10:47

Last modified:

Tuesday, 1 August 2023, 10:48

A view of the M6 where all traffic has been at a stand-still. Credit: National Highways

A major stretch of the M6 between Walsall and Birmingham was at a complete halt on Tuesday morning (1st August) after injured cows ended up on the motorway. It’s understood they had fallen from a lorry, along a two miles stretch of road.

INRIX, the traffic and travel information service, reported:

“M6 in both directions closed long delays, queueing traffic due to cows on road from J8 M5 to J10 A454 Wolverhampton Road (Wolverhampton / Walsall). Congestion to M5 J2 (Oldbury).

“Road closed since 10:20. Trapped traffic is being released.”

CMPG tweeting about the injured cows.

CMPG, the Central Motorway Police Group, tweeted earlier on Tuesday morning: “We have two injured cows in the carriageway two miles apart that have fallen from a lorry. Both sb and nb [sic] closed whilst we try get the injured cows off the motorway safely. Last thing we want is for them to bolt into moving traffic”

A screenshot of Google Maps showing the closure which is reportedly causing up to two-and-half-hour delays!

Traffic was reportedly back on the move by around 11:40, however Google Maps were reporting delays of upwards of two and a half hours!

The outcome of the cows is, at the time of writing, unknown.