M6 traffic: Major motorway 'to remain closed' after horror smash involving car and THREE lorries

Motorists are being warned of long delays on the M6 this morning following a serious collision involving multiple vehicles.

The M6 in Staffordshire is closed northbound between J15 Hanchurch Interchange (Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme A500) and J16 Barthomley Interchange (Stoke-on-Trent, Crewe, Nantwich, Chester A500).

National Highways reported that the collision took place just after 4am this morning and involved three lorries and a car on the northbound carriageway.

Emergency services, including Staffordshire Police, West Midlands Ambulance Service, and Staffordshire Fire & Rescue, attended the scene.

Units from National Highways also attended, confirming that it was a very serious collision and that the closure would be protracted.

Initially, the southbound carriageway was closed to "facilitate emergency service access" to the scene and for the installation of incident screens.

The screens have now been installed and the southbound carriageway has been reopened for traffic.

National Highways noted that road users caught within the closure between J15 and the scene of the collision are in the process of being released.

However, it warned that the release via rearward relief would be a protracted process and may take some time.

Posting on social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, National Highways stated that delays were building.

It added that a full investigation was required, in addition to recovery and clean-up of the vehicles.

The M6 northbound carriageway closure is "likely to remain into this afternoon".

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Road users are advised to follow the route marked with a hollow diamond diversion symbol on local road signs:

• Exit the M6 at J15 and join the A500 towards Stoke-on-Trent
• Continue on the A500 Queensway to re-join the M6 at J16

National Highways added that road users planning on using the M6 northbound towards J15 or southbound towards J16 this morning should expect delays to increase quickly and allow plenty of extra time for their journeys.