Drivers faced lengthy delays on the M6 motorway on Monday morning following two separate crashes that led to lane closures on both carriageways near Wigan.
Serious Crash Shuts Northbound Lanes
Three lanes were closed on the northbound stretch between junction 25 for Bryn and junction 26 for the Orrell Interchange after a serious accident, according to traffic alert service Inrix. Emergency services attended the scene, with National Highways confirming lanes two, three, and four were shut. Congestion quickly built up, stretching back to junction 23 for Haydock.
Separate Incident Closes Southbound Lanes
Two lanes were also closed on the southbound side between junction 27 for Standish and junction 26 for the Orrell Interchange due to a separate incident. Drivers faced long delays until around 9:30 am, with queues reaching eight miles and residual delays of up to 90 minutes after the southbound reopened.
Timeline of Events
- 06:46 BST: Three lanes shut on M6 northbound from J25 to J26.
- 06:47 BST: Reports of a serious accident on the northbound.
- 06:48 BST: National Highways confirms emergency services on scene.
- 07:05 BST: Two lanes also closed on M6 southbound from J27 to J26.
- 07:36 BST: One lane remains shut on northbound, with 30-minute delays.
- 08:06 BST: All lanes reopened on northbound.
- 08:58 BST: Southbound reopened, but 90-minute delays remain with eight-mile queues.
- 09:35 BST: Delays cleared; live coverage ends.
Traffic cameras showed long queues building near Wigan, with heavy congestion persisting for several hours. Motorists were advised to allow extra travel time or seek alternative routes.
