The M1 closure in Northamptonshire kept the northbound carriageway shut between J16 and J18 after a serious collision involving two lorries. One overturned lorry blocked the road, and drivers on the route were left facing long delays while recovery work continued.
National Highways said around five miles of congestion had built on the approach to the accident, with 76 minutes of delays reported. It told drivers to allow extra journey time and, if needed, re-route or delay their journey.
J16 and J18 closure
The closure covered the stretch between J16 for Northampton and J18 for Rugby. The incident happened shortly after 10 pm on August 4, and by the morning of August 5 the disruption was still affecting the motorway.
All emergency services, including Northamptonshire Police, attended the scene. National Highways said full collision investigation works were complete, while recovery teams remained there to deal with the vehicles and clear the carriageway.
National Highways response
Traffic officers from National Highways were working with contractors to handle emergency congestion management. National Highways also said lanes three and four of the southbound carriageway were closed, adding to the disruption around the scene.
That left the road in an awkward state: the investigation had finished, but the closure was still expected to stay in place until later today because of complex recovery work and possible emergency resurfacing work.
Northamptonshire delay warning
National Highways posted a message to drivers on X: "If this closure impacts on your planned route, please allow extra journey time. Plan ahead, you may wish to re-route or even delay your journey." For motorists already near Northamptonshire, the immediate decision is simple: keep away from the northbound stretch until the road is cleared and the route is reopened.
