M5 Traffic Halted After Police Incident Near Bristol
m5 traffic was halted this morning (Tuesday, March 17) after a police incident closed the motorway between J18 (Avonmouth) and J19 (Portbury). Emergency services handled several miles of congestion in both directions, with around 3 miles of queuing southbound and 2 miles northbound recorded during the closure. Separately, southbound m5 traffic was temporarily stopped near Portishead and Clevedon on Monday, March 16, with all lanes reopened by 8: 20 a. m. ET but major delays remaining afterward.
M5 Traffic: Where the motorway closed
The closure on Tuesday affected the stretch between J18 and J19, blocking the carriageway in both directions while emergency services worked at the scene. Traffic built for several miles either side of the incident, creating multi-mile queues and slow-moving conditions as vehicles were held while the incident was managed.
Immediate reactions
Traffic monitor Inrix documented the disruption and flagged the extent of the queues. Inrix said, “Queueing traffic due to police incident on M5 Southbound from J19 A369 Martcombe Road (Portishead) to J20 B3133 Ettlingen Way (Clevedon). ” Police officers were captured at the scene on traffic cameras during the closure, and emergency services led work to clear the motorway.
Earlier stop near Portishead and Clevedon
On Monday, March 16, southbound traffic was temporarily halted between Portishead and Clevedon. By 8: 20 a. m. ET all lanes had reopened, though Inrix recorded major delays that took longer to clear; traffic updates show delays eased and were cleared by around 8: 50 a. m. ET. The earlier incident also caused knock-on congestion on approaches into the city, with travel time on affected routes noted at around 15 minutes while queues persisted.
What happens next: Police and emergency services remain the lead authorities on scene for the March 17 incident and will issue updates as they complete their work and reopen any affected lanes. Motorists are advised to expect follow-up clearance activity and to monitor official traffic updates for changes; authorities will provide further information on m5 traffic conditions as they become available.
