The M5 traffic junction 21 southbound slip road near Weston-super-Mare reopened after an overturned lorry forced it closed. Drivers on the route had faced delays of well over an hour while traffic built to six miles of congestion.
National Highways at junction 21
National Highways said the southbound junction 21 slip road had been closed to allow the scene to be cleared. That left drivers waiting through the peak of the disruption before traffic was cleared later in the evening.
Weston-super-Mare traffic build-up
The queue length gives a clearer picture of the impact than the closure itself. Six miles of congestion on a motorway approach means the delay reached well beyond the slip road and affected through-traffic as well as drivers trying to join the M5.
Footage posted on social media appeared to show emergency service vehicles at the scene. The scene was cleared before the road reopened, but the information provided does not explain what caused the lorry to overturn.
For drivers heading south past Weston-super-Mare, the practical change is immediate: the junction 21 slip road is back in use, and the delay that had stretched well over an hour has eased. What caused the lorry to overturn at junction 21 near Weston-super-Mare is the one question left open.
