Car fire causes M61 delays as stop-start M6 traffic from Junction 27 to Junction 33

Fire crews on the scene on the M61 during Good Friday Pic: Wíllíamsön Ange

Heavy traffic is building around Preston’s motorway network as the Good Friday getaway takes place.

A vehicle fire between Junction 8 (Chorley) and the M65 junction on the M61 has led to major delays for those heading through that section.

The fire has now been cleared but delays of more than half-an-hour remain as of 1.50pm on Friday (18 April).

Elsewhere on the M6 itself there’s delays on the northbound side starting at Junction 27 (Standish) and intensifying through to the Samlesbury Junction at Junction 31.

The northbound motorway then sees stop-start traffic all the way through to Junction 33 for Garstang as holidaymakers head towards the Lake District.

The delays on the M6 near Junction 29 on Good Friday Pic: Traffic England

The M55 and the M65 currently have no reported incidents and traffic appears to be moving freely.

Earlier on Good Friday the southbound motorway was shut from shortly after 1am when two cars were involved in a crash with one vehicle overturning and one person taken to hospital for treatment.

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