Live: M5 closure and huge delays after serious lorry crash halts all traffic

A serious crash involving a lorry has closed part of the M5 through Somerset and caused misery for drivers this afternoon[1], Wednesday, February 26. According to traffic monitoring site[2] Inrix, the motorway is shut in both directions and there are long delays. We will keep you updated with our live blog below.

The crash took place between junction 24 for Bridgwater and junction 25 for Taunton, in Somerset. It was first reported shortly after 3pm and the motorway is expected to be closed for several hours. As of 5pm, National Highways was reporting that normal traffic conditions on the southbound carriageway will not return before 8pm this evening.

The northbound carriageway is expected to have reopened by around 7.15pm. On the southbound carriageway there are delays of 90 minutes against expected traffic. On the northbound carriageway, National Highways is reporting 50-minute delays.

Inrix says: "M5 in both directions closed, severe delays due to serious accident, a lorry involved from J24 A38 Taunton Road (Bridgwater South) to J25 A358 (Taunton). Congestion to southbound J23 (Bridgwater North) and its solid routes between Taunton and Bridgwater as traffic heads away. Trapped traffic is being released in the southbound closure."

Elsewhere on the M5, two lanes are shut heading northbound after a crash earlier this afternoon. The lanes are shut between junction 21 for Weston-super-Mare and junction 20 for Clevedon. We will keep you updated with our live blog below.

Send us information or pictures if it is safe to do so here[3].

References

1. ^ M5 through Somerset and caused misery for drivers this afternoon (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
2. ^ traffic monitoring site (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
3. ^ here (www.facebook.com)