M1 closed J4–J2 southbound (obstruction)

Road closure on the M1 southbound at J4–J2 on Wednesday 4 November 2026, from 07:20. Still reported at 09:15 UK time. Timeline of reports from TomTom and the motorway signs.

Status

Live since 07:20 (1 h 56 min)

Location

M1 southbound · J4–J2

Reported as

Obstruction or hazard

Delay

~12 min

At its worst

Road closed · stationary traffic · delay ~179 min

Sources

TomTom ×6 · Motorway signs

Timeline

1. 07:20 Motorway signs: “REPORT OF VEHICLE FIRE”
2. 07:28 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~4 min
3. 07:28 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Stationary traffic”, delay ~33 min
4. 07:32 TomTom: now says obstruction or hazard, delay now ~51 min (was ~33), “traffic, Vehicle fire”
5. 07:46 TomTom: delay now ~89 min (was ~55)
6. 07:51 TomTom: delay now ~120 min (was ~89)
7. 08:01 Motorway signs no longer show “REPORT OF VEHICLE FIRE”
8. 08:01 TomTom: road closed
9. 08:09 TomTom: now says queueing traffic, delay now ~84 min (was ~179), “Stationary traffic”
10. 08:09 TomTom: road closed (reported again)
11. 08:14 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Stationary traffic”, delay ~56 min
12. 08:14 TomTom: now says obstruction or hazard, “traffic, Vehicle fire”
13. 08:23 TomTom: now says queueing traffic, “Stationary traffic”
14. 08:27 TomTom: delay now ~119 min (was ~89)
15. 08:27 TomTom: delay now ~37 min (was ~57)
16. 08:33 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Stationary traffic”, delay ~28 min (reported again)
17. 08:36 TomTom: road closed
18. 08:41 TomTom no longer reports it
19. 08:41 All clear: no source reports it any more
20. 08:46 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Stationary traffic”, delay ~51 min (reported again)
21. 08:46 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Stationary traffic”, delay ~139 min
22. 08:55 TomTom: delay now ~23 min (was ~46)
23. 08:55 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Stationary traffic”, delay ~8 min (reported again)
24. 08:59 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Stationary traffic”, delay ~37 min (reported again)
25. 09:04 TomTom: delay now ~20 min (was ~37)
26. 09:09 TomTom: delay now ~14 min (was ~20), “Queuing traffic”

Source reports

• Slow traffic
• Stationary traffic
• Overhead signs read “REPORT OF VEHICLE FIRE” (3 signs; furthest along: M1 southbound between J4 and J2).
• Closed
• Queuing traffic

Other recent incidents on the M1

• M1 delays J11–J1006:10 · cleared after 2 h 58 min
• M1 reported crash J46 southboundyesterday 21:49 · cleared after 40 min
• M1 crash J28–J27 southboundyesterday 19:14 · cleared after 1 h 14 min
• M1 crash J14–J15 southboundyesterday 18:38 · cleared after 1 h 50 min
• M1 crash J6–J5 southboundyesterday 18:00 · cleared after 1 h 58 min
• M1 crash J14–J15 northboundyesterday 17:02 · cleared after 1 h 55 min
• M1 stopped traffic J11–J11Ayesterday 07:26 · cleared after 1 h 54 min
• M1 stopped traffic J22–J21A southboundyesterday 06:49 · cleared after 3 h 17 min
• M1 crash J42–J43 northboundMon 22:32 · cleared after 1 h 21 min
• M1 crash J43–J42 southboundMon 20:39 · cleared after 1 h 44 min

Live traffic and past incidents at M1 J4 and M1 J2.

The sources don't report causes or injuries, so neither does this page. Times are UK time. For alerts, follow @motorways.me on Bluesky.