M6 and M61 motorway closures cause multi‑hour traffic delays in England

On Thursday, July 9, lane closures and an earlier crash on the M6 southbound between junctions J20 and J21 in Cheshire resulted in six‑mile queues and delays of up to two hours. National Highways reported that three of four southbound lanes were closed overnight for roadworks that ran past their scheduled finish, and an earlier northbound collision partially blocked the carriageway before being cleared.

The following day, Friday, July 10, an overturned lorry at the Clayton Brook interchange forced the closure of the M61 northbound exit slip road at junction 9 and part of the roundabout connecting to the M65 at junction 2. Lancashire Police confirmed the slip road and one lane of the M65 westbound exit remained shut, prompting diversions and advising motorists to seek alternative routes.

Both incidents disrupted regional traffic flow, with National Highways and Inrix monitoring the congestion and urging drivers to allow extra travel time.