The M6 northbound has been closed in Lancashire after a lorry overturned and spilled fuel onto the carriageway.
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Highways bosses said that a big amount of diesel and oil has spilled onto the carriageway, after the accident at 2.30am.
National Highways added the road surface needs to be cleared and repaired and the motorway inspected before it can reopen.
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Traffic is currently queued back to junction 29 at Bamber Bridge, with vehicles now exiting the motorway at that junction and heading into Preston.
Motorists joining from the M61 are now queuing for some distance due to the delays.
The A6 northbound towards Garstang is also facing heavy delays with traffic coming off of the M6 at junction 32 and heading north towards Lancaster.
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A diversion route has been put in place. You can find the route here.
At 10.30am, traffic website Inrix was reporting at least seven miles of traffic on the M6 northbound approach as drivers are diverted off the motorway.
It says: “M6 Northbound closed severe delays, queueing traffic for seven miles due to overturned lorry and recovery work from J32 M55 (Broughton Interchange) to J33 A6 Preston Lancaster Road (Lancaster South / Garstang).
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“Congestion to J30 (M61 interchange). Also seeing delays through Leyland, Lostock Hall, Preston and Fulwood. With traffic leaving the motorway early at J29.”
And at 1.30pm Highways tweeted that it is estimated delays were around 90 minutes - but some motorists said they had been stuck in queues for double that length of time.
One shared a photo of the lorry still apparently on the carriageway at 2.30pm.
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And there have been warnings the M6 could stay closed until the evening. As of 3.30pm – 12 hours after the crash - efforts are ongoing to recover the HGV and carry out repairs to the carriageway.
M6 motorists are being diverted as follows:
- Exit M6 J32 (Blackpool), onto M55
- Follow M55 westbound to J1 Exit M55 at J1 (Broughton) and take third roundabout exit, A6 Garstang
- Follow A6 northbound through Broughton, Barton, Bilsborrow, Garstang, to M6 J33 (Lancaster South), rejoin M6 northbound
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You can also follow lep.co.uk for a live blog from the scene.
Travel updates as northbound M6 closed
The M6 northbound remains shut in Lancashire and drivers are warned that it could stay closed until the evening.
The motorway has been closed since 2.30am between junctions 32 (Preston, M55) and 33 (Lancaster South, A6) after a lorry overturned, spilling oil and fuel across the carriageway.
The scene of the crash is just north of junction 32 in the Barton area of Preston, about half-a-mile from Barton Lane.
As of 3.30pm – 12 hours after the crash - efforts are ongoing to recover the HGV and carry out repairs to the carriageway.
National Highways has not said exactly when the M6 is likely to reopen, but it estimates that it is likely to remain shut past rush hour and into the early evening.
Motorists affected by the closure are now being advised to plan ahead and allow additional time for rush hour journeys this evening.
A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: “We’re still at the scene and the recovery is ongoing. Hopefully we can update you later this afternoon.”
A spokesman for National Highways says: “As of 2.25pm the carriageway remains closed for recovery and there are reported delays of 70 minutes above normal travel time.
“There are also around eight miles of congestion on the approach on the M6.
“There is no estimated time as of yet for when the motorway is due to open.”