CHORLEY, England — Drivers faced delays on the M61 on Tuesday morning after an accident disrupted the southbound motorway between Chorley and Horwich, initially forcing all traffic to stop as queues built behind the incident.
The disruption on September 15 affected the M61 southbound between Junction 8 for Chorley and Junction 6 for Horwich. Traffic was initially held completely before the situation improved to a partial blockage, according to traffic monitoring updates.
The incident came during the morning travel period, affecting motorists heading south towards Horwich, Bolton and the wider Greater Manchester area.
M61 accident causes southbound delays
The first major disruption was reported at around 6:48 a.m. BST, when all southbound traffic was being held between J8 and J6.
By 6:56 a.m., heavy traffic was reported on the motorway as vehicles queued behind the incident.
There was an important change just one minute later. At 6:57 a.m., traffic monitoring service Inrix described the M61 southbound as partially blocked, indicating that the earlier complete traffic hold was no longer in place.
At 7:08 a.m., Inrix reported that an accident had occurred on the southbound carriageway and said the road remained partially blocked.
M61 traffic timeline today
- 6:48 a.m.: All traffic held southbound between J8 and J6.
- 6:56 a.m.: Heavy traffic reported on the M61.
- 6:57 a.m.: Southbound carriageway reported partially blocked.
- 7:08 a.m.: Accident reported as the cause of the disruption, with the road still partially blocked.
The timeline is significant because early reports that all traffic had stopped do not mean the motorway remained completely closed. The situation was changing as the morning progressed.
Where is the M61 disruption?
The affected stretch runs southbound from J8 at Chorley to J6 at Horwich, on a route used by drivers travelling from Lancashire towards Bolton and Greater Manchester.
Even after traffic begins moving, delays can persist because vehicles accumulated during a complete traffic hold must work through the affected section.
Drivers can check National Highways travel updates for the latest official information on motorway incidents, closures and traffic conditions before travelling.
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Have any injuries been reported?
No confirmed information in the available updates detailed whether anyone had been injured.
The number of vehicles involved, the exact location of the accident within the J8-to-J6 stretch and the circumstances leading to the collision were also not confirmed.
There was no confirmed time in the supplied information for all remaining restrictions to be lifted. Those details should not be assumed until authorities or emergency services provide further information.
Drivers urged to check conditions before travelling
Motorists planning to travel south towards Horwich and Bolton should check the latest conditions before setting off and allow additional journey time if congestion remains.
Drivers approaching the incident should follow overhead signs and instructions from police or National Highways traffic officers. A red X above a motorway lane means the lane is closed and must not be used.
Recent incidents have shown how quickly motorway conditions can change. A crash on the M42 near Redditch caused significant motorway disruption, while another crash closed the M4 between Maidenhead and Reading and caused queues on the surrounding network.
For the M61 incident, the key confirmed change is that all southbound traffic was initially held before the motorway became partially blocked. Drivers should rely on the newest traffic information rather than earlier reports of a complete stoppage as conditions continue to change.
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