M11 shut for 17 miles both ways after lorry crosses central reservation

The M11 at Bishop’s Stortford has partially reopened after a lorry incident resulted in a 17-mile stretch being closed in both directions – but there are long queues.

The lorry crossed through the central reservation, forcing closure of the motorway between junction 8 – the turn-off for Bishop’s Stortford and the A120 – and junction 10, the exit for Duxford and Royston.

National Highways tweeted about the closure at 8.50am, but in an update 45 minutes later it said that the inside lanes in both directions had been reopened.

Lane 2 northbound and southbound remain closed for barrier repairs. There are queues of about four miles approaching the accident scene.

Traffic will be heavy on the alternative routes of the B1383 – the old A11 – through Stansted, Ugley, Quendon, Newport and past Audley End and on the A10 through Royston, Buntingford and Puckeridge.