A serious multi-vehicle collision has brought traffic to a standstill on the M11 motorway during Thursday morning's rush hour, causing chaos for commuters and triggering major delays.
The incident occurred between junction 8 for the A120 towards Bishop's Stortford and junction 9 for the A11 towards Newmarket, with emergency services rushing to the scene after reports of a significant crash involving multiple vehicles.
Travel Chaos During Peak Hours
National Highways confirmed the serious incident, warning motorists of extensive delays stretching back for miles. Traffic cameras showed stationary vehicles backed up along the affected stretch, with some drivers facing waits of up to 90 minutes.
Traffic monitoring systems indicated congestion building rapidly following the collision, with delays affecting both northbound and southbound traffic as emergency services worked to clear the scene.
Emergency Response and Diversions
Cambridgeshire Police, along with ambulance and fire services, were deployed to manage the incident. Recovery operations were underway to remove damaged vehicles and clear the carriageway.
National Highways implemented official diversion routes to help ease the congestion:
- Northbound traffic advised to exit at junction 8 and follow A120 diversion routes
- Southbound motorists directed to use alternative A-road networks
- Local access maintained where possible
Commuters Face Lengthy Delays
The timing of the incident during the morning rush hour exacerbated travel problems across the region. Social media quickly filled with reports from frustrated motorists stuck in the gridlock.
One commuter tweeted: "Stuck on M11 northbound for over an hour now. Absolute nightmare start to the day with no movement in sight."
Transport officials urged drivers to allow extra journey time and consider alternative routes if travelling through Cambridgeshire and Essex during the morning period.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of how quickly Britain's road network can grind to a halt, particularly during peak travel times when capacity is already stretched to its limits.
