National Highways closed M1 traffic northbound in Northamptonshire shortly after 22:00 BST on Tuesday after a lorry overturned in a multi-vehicle collision. The stretch between junction 16 for Northampton and junction 18 for Rugby was shut while emergency services worked at the scene.
The closure covered a key part of the motorway corridor and was expected to remain in place throughout the morning. National Highways said the road needed to stay shut for police investigation work and a complex recovery operation.
Northamptonshire Police at scene
National Highways said all emergency services, including Northamptonshire Police, were in attendance on Tuesday night. Inrix said three lorries were involved in the collision, adding that the incident was not limited to one direction of travel.
For drivers on the route, that meant the northbound closure was only part of the disruption. The traffic system also said lanes three and four were closed southbound past the incident, creating an additional constraint for traffic moving the other way.
Junction 16 and junction 18
The affected section runs between junction 16 for Northampton and junction 18 for Rugby, a stretch many drivers use to move through Northamptonshire. With the closure expected to last through the morning, National Highways effectively left motorists with no quick return to normal flow on that part of the M1.
The practical result is that anyone planning to use the motorway in either direction near the scene needs to factor in the lane closures and the northbound shutdown before setting out. The road will stay shut while police examine the collision and recovery teams deal with the overturned lorry and the other vehicles involved.
