A long stretch of the M4 in Wiltshire has been closed for most of the day after a lorry crash caused a significant diesel spill, leaving the motorway westbound shut between junctions 16 and 17.
The carriageway between J16 Swindon and J17 Chippenham has been closed since the early hours of Wednesday, after the collision shortly after 2am. Diesel gushed onto the road and the central reservation was also damaged, making the stretch unusable until full repairs are carried out.
Hundreds of motorists affected
Hundreds of motorists were stuck in queueing traffic this morning, with some reporting waiting for four hours. Footage shared online shows people getting out of their vehicles and standing along the central reservation as the sun was rising.
National Highways said: “Recovery of the HGV was completed at 06:40, the process was protracted due to the vehicle coming to rest on the central reservation barrier. National Highways area team crews are now treating the road surface following a substantial oil spillage from the collision.”
Repairs and expected reopening
An inspector has attended the scene and confirmed that 146 metres of carriageway require resurfacing, with the road unable to reopen until this is completed. Emergency barrier repairs are also required, though these can be completed within back-to-back lane 3 closures.
Although no definitive reopening time is currently available, early estimates suggest the M4 westbound heading towards Bristol will remain closed throughout the evening’s peak traffic period and until at least 18:00. All traffic caught within the closure has been turned and released.
