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.

Ashlie Blakey[2]

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.

Ashlie Blakey[3]

Today12:14 BST

Long delays remain

Long delays remain on the M6 northbound this afternoon following the closure.

Ashlie Blakey[4]

Today12:10 BST

Traffic now released on the M6 northbound

The motorway has reopened.

The cars involved have been moved to the hard shoulder.

Content cannot be displayed without consentAshlie Blakey[5]

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.

Ashlie Blakey[6]

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."

Ashlie Blakey[7]

Today11:52 BST

Northbound carriageway remains shut

The northbound carriageway of the M6 remains shut between J19 and J20.

Ashlie Blakey[8]

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)

Ashlie Blakey[9]

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.

Ashlie Blakey[10]

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.

Ashlie Blakey[11]

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)

Ashlie Blakey[13]

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.

Ashlie Blakey[14]

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.

Ashlie Blakey[15]Follow Manchester Evening News:

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References

1. ^ Click here (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
2. ^ Ashlie Blakey (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
3. ^ Ashlie Blakey (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
4. ^ Ashlie Blakey (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
5. ^ Ashlie Blakey (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
6. ^ Ashlie Blakey (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
7. ^ Ashlie Blakey (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
8. ^ Ashlie Blakey (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
9. ^ Ashlie Blakey (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
10. ^ Ashlie Blakey (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
11. ^ Ashlie Blakey (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
12. ^ Ashlie Blakey (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
13. ^ Ashlie Blakey (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
14. ^ Ashlie Blakey (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
15. ^ Ashlie Blakey (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)