Travel Alert: Severe congestion as spillage causes motorway lane closures
6pm Update
Highways England has revised earlier estimates and is now predicting that the road will not return to normal until around 8.30pm.
Traffic disruption is severe and motorists have been warned they could face delays of up to an hour while the clean-up operation continues.
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MOTORISTS using the M5 in Worcestershire have been warned of long delays southbound following a load spillage on the carriageway.
One lane is closed southbound in the ongoing roadworks between Junction 5 (Droitwich) and Junction 6 (Worcester North) and congestion is said to be severe.
A special Incident Support Unit has been called to the scene and its operatives are currently dealing with the spillage.
The cause of the spillage – and type of substance involved – are not known.
Highways England has said the incident is not expected to clear until after 6pm and the road situation is not expected to return to normal until an hour after that.
Drivers have been advised to consider alternative routes and to allow extra time for their journeys.
A second, similar incident is currently causing delays in the Black Country.
A shed-load of metal is affecting the A461 westbound in Wednesbury between Dudley Street and Holyhead Road, with traffic queuing out of town between Navigation Roundabout and Steel Roundabout.
