About motorways.me
A live map of crashes, closures and delays on Britain's motorways and major A roads, updated every minute.
Where the data comes from
- National Highways closures: lane and road closures on England's motorways and major A roads, taken from the overhead signals the control rooms set.
- National Highways message signs: what the electronic signs over the road say, such as "REPORT OF COLLISION" or "STRANDED VEHICLE". Often the first place the cause of a closure appears.
- TomTom: incidents with delay times, queue lengths and how many drivers reported them.
- TfL: disruptions on London's main roads.
- Traffic Wales: incidents on Welsh motorways and trunk roads.
How reports are combined
Different sources often describe the same event: a crash on TomTom, the lane closure National Highways sets, and the signs warning drivers. Reports close together on the same road and direction are merged into one event, which takes the most specific description. Each event keeps a timeline of what each source said and when.
What the words mean
- Collision: a source reports a crash. "REPORT OF COLLISION" on a sign means the control room has had a report; it may not be confirmed yet.
- Lane closure · cause not reported yet: lanes are shut by the overhead signals, but no source has said why.
- Broken-down vehicle: a stranded or broken-down vehicle.
- Obstruction or hazard: debris, animals, pedestrians or something else on the road.
- Sudden slowdown (possible incident): traffic speed collapsed suddenly, which often means something has just happened. It is never shown as a crash.
Nothing is guessed: injuries and causes are only mentioned when a source states them.
Is it official?
No. motorways.me is an independent site that shows official and licensed data. It is not affiliated with National Highways, TomTom, TfL or Traffic Wales. Information can lag behind what is happening on the road, so always follow the signs and never use the site while driving.