M6 traffic RECAP as motorway shut with huge queues after ‘multiple vehicles’ crash
LIVEUpdated 31 mins ago
All traffic has been stopped on the northbound carriageway towards Manchester
Traffic on the M6 motorway(Image: National Highways)
Updated 12:49, 16 Apr 2026
Huge queues are building on the M6 this morning with the motorway blocked after a crash.
All traffic has been stopped on the northbound carriageway of the motorway towards Manchester. Traffic is being held between junction 19 for Knutsford and junction 20 for the M56 Lymm Interchange with the carriageway shut.
Long queues are building up to the area with drivers facing delays.
According to traffic alert service Inrix, a vehicle has overturned on the scene.
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‘Multiple vehicles’ are involved in the crash, National Highways said. In a post on X, the agency wrote: “Traffic is being held on the #M6 northbound between J19 #Knutsford and J20 #AppletonThorn #M56 following a collision involving multiple vehicles.
” All emergency services are on scene. Delays of 30 minutes and congestion of approx.
3 miles on approach. Updates to follow.”
Cheshire Police said in a statement: “At 11am on Thursday 16 April, police were called to a collision on the M6 northbound between junctions 19 and 20. Officers attended and found there had been a collision between two cars, one of which had overturned.
“There are no reports of any serious injuries.
One of the drivers, a man, has been arrested on suspicion of drug driving.”
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New Updates
Today12:49 BST
End of live coverage
We will end our live coverage of this incident here.
Today12:21 BST
Delays will now start to ease on the M6
Delays will begin to ease now on the M6 motorway.
The northbound carriageway has been cleared.
Today12:14 BST
Long delays remain
Long delays remain on the M6 northbound this afternoon following the closure.
Today12:10 BST
Traffic now released on the M6 northbound
The motorway has reopened.
The cars involved have been moved to the hard shoulder.
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Today12:05 BST
One driver arrested
A driver of the cars involved in the crash, a man, was arrested on the scene.
He was arrested on suspicion of drug-driving, police said.
Today11:56 BST
Statement from Cheshire Police
No serious injuries have been reported following a two-car crash, police have confirmed.
One man has been arrested on suspicion of drug-driving.
In a statement, a Cheshire Police spokesperson said: “At 11am on Thursday 16 April, police were called to a collision on the M6 northbound between junctions 19 and 20.”Officers attended and found there had been a collision between two cars, one of which had overturned.”There are no reports of any serious injuries.”One of the drivers, a man, has been arrested on suspicion of drug driving.”
Today11:52 BST
Northbound carriageway remains shut
The northbound carriageway of the M6 remains shut between J19 and J20.
Today11:43 BST
Back-to-back traffic up to the closure
Motorway cameras show huge queues of traffic now up to the closure on the M6.
Traffic on the M6 motorway(Image: National Highways)
Today11:34 BST
Traffic also slow on the southbound carriageway
Traffic is also reportedly slow on the other side of the motorway due to onlookers.
Today11:28 BST
Three-mile queues up to closure
According to National Highways, traffic is currently queuing for around three miles up to the closure.
Congestion is expected to worsen as the motorway remains shut.
Today11:26 BST
All emergency services on the scene
National Highways has shared this update on X.
Police, fire crews and paramedics are on the scene.
Content cannot be displayed without consentAshlie Blakey[12]
Today11:21 BST
Motorway cameras show long queues on the M6
There are long queues on the carriageway towards Greater Manchester this morning.
Long queues on the M6 motorway(Image: National Highways)
Today11:20 BST
Overturned car on the scene
According to traffic alert service Inrix, a vehicle has overturned on the scene.
Emergency services are in attendance.
Today11:16 BST
All traffic stopped on M6 northbound
All traffic is being held on the M6 northbound.
It is stopped between junction 19 for Knutsford and junction 20 for the M56 Lymm Interchange.
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