Huge lorry carrying sawdust bursts into flames closing major motorway (2024)

Jasper King

Drivers are facing misery this afternoon after a lorry fire has closed part of the M62 motorway.

It is impacting people driving eastbound between junction 22 for Saddleworth and junction 24 for Huddersfield and Halifax.

The fire has also spread to the embankment of the motorway and National Highways has put diversions in place.

Jasper King

Storm Bertbroughtheavy rainfall and strong windsacross the Great Western Railway network last weekend.

The direct line between Swindon and Bristol Parkway was affected by flooding in the Chipping Sodbury area.

Flood water has now receded and Network Rail have removed debris which was blocking the line, which has now been fully inspected and declared safe for trains to run but delays are still expected until midday.

Train services will be impacted between London Paddington and South Wales in both directions until this time.

Jasper King

Drivers using a part of the London orbital this morning are facing delays because of a crash.

It is impacting traffic on the M25 anti-clockwise between junction 10 for Guildford/Woking/Esher and junction 9 for Leatherhead/Epsom.

There is one of four lanes closed and normal traffic conditions are expected at 11.15am.

Jasper King

The M49 is still closed northbound between the M5 and junction 22 for the M4 following an earlier crash which caused a spillage.

Emergency resurfacing is currently being done and the part of the motorway is not expected to open again until at least midday.

Road diversions are currently in place.

Jasper King

Commuters are facing minor delays on the Jubilee line this morning which is impacting the entire line.

This is due to train cancellations.

People can expect to wait slightly longer for their tube this morning if they are using the line.

Jasper King

Drivers on the M11 this morning are facing a partial closure of the motorway following a lorry fire.

The M11 northbound between junction 11 for Harston and junction 12 for Cambridge is closed and there are 60 minute delays in the area.

Officers are at the scene working to clear one lane to allow traffic in the closure to pass.

Jasper King

A part of the M27 has been closed this morning because of a police incident, according to National Highways.

The motorway is currently closed between junction 9 for Fareham and junction 11 for Gosport in Hampshire.

All emergency services are currently at the scene.

It is not yet known when this section of the motorway will reopen.

Sam Corbishley

Louise Haigh has resigned as Transport Secretary after pleading guilty to a criminal offence.

She last night admitted she pleaded guilty to an offence connected with incorrectly telling police that a work mobile phone was stolen in 2013.

In a statement on Thursday night, Ms Haigh said she discovered ‘some time later’ that the phone had not been taken.

In her resignation letter this morning, she described it as a ‘mistake’ but said that ‘whatever the facts of the matter, this issue will inevitably be a distraction from delivering on the work of this government.’

Sam Corbishley

Services to and from Northampton are still disrupted due toflooding, which is expected to last throughout the day.

As a result, there will be a limited hourly service from Rugby – Milton Keynes, calling at Long Buckby, Northampton, and Wolverton station.

Rail replacement buses will remain in operation in between:

• Northampton – Long Buckby – Rugby
• Northampton – Wolverton – Milton Keynes Central

Sam Corbishley

Flooding in the Chipping Sodbury area is causing problems on the line between Swindon and Bristol Parkway.

Workers are continuing to remove debris that is blocking the line as flood water recedes.

That work is expected to take the rest of the day.

Until then, an hourly train service will run between London Paddington and South Wales, in both directions using an alternative route, which will extend journey times by up to 45 minutes.

The trains which will depart London Paddington at XX:15 and XX:18 are currently cancelled.

Sam Corbishley

The Piccadilly Line is part suspended again this morning due to ‘poor rail conditions’ following heavy leaf fall.

Services are still facing disruption due to the recent stormy weather.