Commuters faced travel chaos on Tuesday afternoon as a serious collision brought sections of the M6 motorway to a standstill, causing massive delays during the busy rush hour period.
Major Incident Causes Widespread Disruption
Emergency services rushed to the scene between junctions 16 and 17 in Cheshire following reports of a significant incident. The collision resulted in the immediate closure of multiple lanes, creating a bottleneck effect that stretched for miles in both directions.
National Highways confirmed the severity of the situation, stating: "We're dealing with a serious collision on the M6 northbound between J16 and J17. Three lanes are currently closed with extensive delays building rapidly."
Travel Times Skyrocket
Drivers experienced nightmare conditions as travel times soared to approximately 90 minutes above normal. The congestion stretched back beyond junction 15, with southbound traffic also affected due to rubbernecking and the sheer volume of vehicles.
Motorists reported being stuck in stationary traffic for extended periods, with many taking to social media to warn other travellers to avoid the area entirely.
Alternative Routes Advised
Travel experts strongly recommended seeking alternative routes, suggesting:
- The A49 through Warrington and Northwich
- The A50 for northbound travel
- Local routes through Middlewich and Sandbach
However, these alternatives quickly became congested as frustrated drivers attempted to bypass the motorway closure.
Emergency Response
Cheshire Police, along with multiple ambulance crews and fire services, attended the scene. Recovery operations were complicated by the severity of the incident and the need for thorough investigation at the scene.
A spokesperson for National Highways advised: "If your journey isn't essential, we'd recommend delaying travel until later this evening when the situation is expected to ease."
The incident serves as a stark reminder of how quickly Britain's busiest motorway can become gridlocked, particularly during peak travel times when capacity is already stretched to its limits.
