Emergency services have reportedly been sent to both a collision and a fire on the M6 - bringing the motorway to a stop. There are queues in both directions on the motorway between junctions 16 and 17 where both incidents are said to have taken place.
Traffic monitoring system Inrix is reporting two lanes have been shut on both the northbound carriageway and southbound because of a 'vehicle fire'. Moments after that alert another one was created warning all traffic on the southbound stretch, between those same junctions, was being 'temporarily held' due to a collision.
It has resulted in northbound queues all the way back past Junction 16 towards Junction 15. On the southbound and traffic is now queueing back to Junction 18.
We will bring you further updates in our dedicated blog below.
Key Events
One lane out on M6 northbound
A lane is shut on the M6 northbound between junctions 18 and 19 due to a broken down vehicle.
Traffic easing
Inrix update: "Traffic easing, earlier accident on M6 Southbound from J17 A534 Old Mill Road (Sandbach / Crewe) to J16 A500 (Stoke-On-Trent / Crewe)."
Southbound back open
A live camera is showing one damaged car in the outside lane with the other three lanes open. It remains extremely slow in the area.
'Obstruction on the road'
Another issue on the M6 this afternoon. There's an 'obstruction' on the road just before Junction 15 that's left the motorway 'partially blocked'.
Southbound 'blocked'
Inrix has issued an update to say the southbound is now 'blocked' and there are 'severe delays' back to Junction 18.
'Long delays' remain on the northbound where two lanes have been shut.
There are also queues on the A500. They are going back towards Audley in one direction from Junction 16 and all the way back to Meremoor Moss roundabout in South Cheshire in the other.
M6 gridlock
National Highways is now reporting traffic ist a stop on the northbound back towards 15 and is extrememly slow moving to Junction 17 from 16.
On the southbound and the queue is back to Junction 18. It's also at a halt from Junction 17 down to Junction 16.
Update from Inrix
Inrix has clarified that it's two lanes shut on the M6 northbound and no longer the southbound. It says the incident on the southbound carriageway where traffic is being held is separate to the reported blaze.
M6 at a stop
A live map from National Highways shows traffic is at a halt on the M6 southbound.
