Live M5 and A303 traffic chaos: Somerset grinds to a halt after crashes, lorry fire and flooding

It's chaos on the roads in Somerset after a string of traffic incidents on a number of major routes in Somerset. As well as delays of two hours on the M5 after a lorry erupted into flames on the motorway[1] between Burnham-on-Sea and Bridgwater, a crash further north stopped traffic near Weston-super-Mare. Motorists are also queuing on the A303 at Ilminster following a collision and there is flooding on the A3066 North Street, just outside of Crewkerne.

Somerset drivers may be better off avoiding the main roads as we head towards rush hour today (October 25). Two lanes remain closed on the M5 southbound while the previously-on-fire lorry is recovered and cleared from the road. There are stil huge delays in both directions, after the whole motorway was closed while fire crews rushed to the scene.

National Highways said: "Lanes 1 and 2 remain closed for recovery and clear up works. We're still reporting delays on approach of up to 2 hours in both directions. Please plan ahead of your journey."

Meanwhile a second incident, a collision, is causing more chaos further north. Traffic monitor Inrix reports: "Queueing traffic due to accident, now on the hard shoulder on M5 Northbound from J22 ( Burnham-on-sea ) to J21 A370 ( Weston-super-mare ). Was held around 15:10."

Meanwhile, the A303 is also blocked in both directions: "A303 Bypass in both directions partially blocked, queueing traffic due to accident between A358 (Southfields roundabout, Ilminster) and Harp Road (Hayes End roundabout, South Petherton)."

Scroll the live blog below for more traffic updates through the afternoon.

References

1. ^ a lorry erupted into flames on the motorway (www.somersetlive.co.uk)