M5 Somerset congestion updates: the southbound carriageway near Weston-Super-Mare was closed on Saturday, August 8 after a motorbike crash. National Highways said the closure was on the M5 south in Somerset at J21 and traffic was diverted via the exit and entry slip roads.
The route shut at around 9am, with emergency services at the scene. Drivers were warned to expect delays of up to 40 minutes while the closure was in place.
Weston-Super-Mare J21
National Highways said the closure affected the southbound carriageway within J21 Weston-Super-Mare. That left one of Somerset’s main motorway routes moving only through the slip roads until the road was cleared.
Just after 11am, Inrix reported traffic had eased and returned to normal. The southbound carriageway was then reopened and all lanes were open.
National Highways delays
The reopening did not clear the queue straight away. National Highways said there were still 40 minute delays on the southbound carriageway after the motorbike crash, so motorists could not treat the reopened lanes as a full return to normal flow.
For drivers already on the route, the practical change was simple: the hard closure ended, but the delay remained long enough to affect journey times after the road opened again. Whether anyone was injured in the crash was not stated.
