Severe Traffic Delays on M6 Due to Shed Load of Wooden Panels

Significant traffic delays have been reported on the M6 motorway near Preston, Lancashire, following the shedding of wooden panels across the northbound carriageway. The incident caused a complete blockage between Junctions 31 (A59 Preston New Road) and 31A (B6242 Bluebell Way), resulting in traffic at a standstill and congestion extending back to Junction 30, where the M6 meets the M61.

According to National Highways, the northbound lanes were blocked around 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, leading to approximately 40 minutes of halted traffic. The agency confirmed the nature of the obstruction via a message on the social media platform X, stating, “All lanes have re-opened on the #M6 in #Lancashire northbound between J31 and J31A due to a shed load of wooden panels in the carriageway. Thank you for your patience, please have a safe onward journey.”

The delays have been described as severe, with AA Traffic News reporting an average wait time of 80 minutes. A spokesperson from the AA commented on the situation: “All lanes stopped and stationary traffic due to shed load on M6 Northbound after J31 A59 Preston New Road (Samlesbury). Roughly one mile after the junction.”

Residents and commuters faced significant disruptions, and local traffic monitoring service Inrix also reported ongoing queues due to the earlier incident. Their report noted congested traffic from Junction 31 back to Junction 30. As of the latest updates, traffic flow between the affected junctions has resumed, although conditions remain slow. Normal traffic conditions are anticipated to return around 1 p.m., according to National Highways.