M6 traffic: Busy motorway used by 180k a day grinds to halt as car fire sparks ‘severe’ delays for Easter holidaymakers

THOUSANDS of Brit holidaymakers have returned to the roads after the long Easter weekend – with many facing lengthy delays.

Severe congestion on the M6 motorway has resulted in drivers being forced to grind to a halt due to an earlier car fire compounding the Easter holiday traffic.

trafficcamerasDrivers travelling on the M6 have been warned of severe delays[/caption] trafficcamerasIt comes after a vehicle fire caused two lanes to close[/caption] National HighwaysThe M5 motorway has also experienced heavy delays on Easter Monday[/caption] Not known, clear with picture deskA map shops where the worst of the congestion can be found[/caption]

According to National Highways, motorists can expect approximately four and a half miles of congestion after a car fire brought traffic to a standstill.

The incident led to two lanes of the M6 northbound being closed between Junctions 32 and 33, with the fire occurring on the approach to Junction 33.

Although the lanes have now reopened, reports still suggest there are severe delays of 25 minutes, with delays increasing on the M6 southbound between J36 A590 (Kirkby Lonsdale) and J34 A683 (Lancaster).

The M6, the longest motorway in the UK at 230 miles, serves an estimated 120,000 to 180,000 vehicles through certain sections each day.

The day has also seen delays on the notorious M5 northbound through Somerset and Gloucestershire following the holiday.

Traffic cameras show extremely heavy traffic along the motorway, with congestion affecting all three lanes of the northbound carriageway between Taunton and South Gloucestershire.

Drivers are being advised to plan ahead if travelling this evening.

In total, the RAC has estimated that approximately 2.7 million people have been driving home on Easter Monday.