Drivers on two major UK motorways faced severe disruption and hour-long delays on Wednesday evening following a serious collision. The incident, which occurred on the M6 southbound, created significant tailbacks that spilled over onto the M58, causing widespread travel chaos.
Severe Delays and Road Closures
The disruption began after a crash on the M6 southbound between junctions 31 (Samlesbury) and 30 (M61 Interchange). In response, National Highways North-West temporarily halted all traffic on that stretch. According to an AA traffic alert issued at the time, this led to severe delays of 41 minutes, with congestion increasing.
The impact was not confined to the M6. The collision also caused a closure on the M58 eastbound between Junction 5 for Skelmersdale and the M6 interchange. National Highways confirmed that traffic was stopped in this area while emergency services worked at the scene, advising of delays of around 20 minutes for approaching vehicles.
Motorists Stuck for Over an Hour
The cascading effect of the initial crash led to extensive queues on both strategic routes. Frustrated motorists took to traffic update services and social media to report being stationary for more than an hour as the evening rush hour descended into gridlock.
While the M58 eastbound closure was later lifted, allowing trapped traffic to be released, the knock-on effects continued to cause significant problems. The incident, which took place on 14 January 2026, underscored the vulnerability of the UK's interconnected motorway network to a single serious incident.
Ongoing Recovery and Travel Advice
National Highways and emergency services worked to clear the scene and manage traffic flow. Travel experts urged drivers to allow extra time for journeys or seek alternative routes if possible, warning that residual delays were likely to persist for some time after the initial blockage was cleared.
The event serves as a stark reminder of the rapid domino effect a collision on a key artery like the M6 can have, disrupting not just its own flow but also that of connecting roads like the M58, and affecting countless commuters and freight movements.
