M1 crash J40 northbound

Crash on the M1 northbound at J40 on Saturday 31 October 2026, from 12:23. Cleared at 14:38 after 2 h 16 min. Timeline of reports from the motorway signs, TomTom and National Highways.

Status

Cleared 14:38 on 31 Oct 2026, after 2 h 16 min

Location

M1 northbound · J40

Reported as

Collision

Lanes

2 of 4 lanes closed

Sources

Motorway signs ×5 · TomTom ×2 · National Highways ×2

Timeline

1. Sat 12:23 Motorway signs: “STRANDED VEHICLE”
2. Sat 13:08 Motorway signs no longer show “STRANDED VEHICLE”
3. Sat 13:11 National Highways: 1 of 4 lanes closed
4. Sat 13:20 Motorway signs: “COLLISION”
5. Sat 13:25 Motorway signs: “M1 J40-J41 COLLISION”
6. Sat 13:25 National Highways: 2 of 4 lanes closed
7. Sat 13:40 TomTom: collision, “Stationary traffic, Accident, Broken down vehicle”, delay ~18 min
8. Sat 13:45 TomTom no longer reports it
9. Sat 13:54 National Highways: lane closure lifted
10. Sat 13:56 Motorway signs: “M1 J40-J41 COLLISION”
11. Sat 14:05 TomTom: collision, “Stationary traffic, Accident”, delay ~16 min
12. Sat 14:08 Motorway signs no longer show “STRANDED VEHICLE”
13. Sat 14:08 Motorway signs no longer show “M1 J40-J41 COLLISION”
14. Sat 14:20 TomTom: now says queueing traffic, delay now ~6 min (was ~13), “Queuing traffic”
15. Sat 14:25 TomTom no longer reports it
16. Sat 14:26 National Highways: lane closure lifted
17. Sat 14:38 Motorway signs no longer show “COLLISION”
18. Sat 14:38 Motorway signs no longer show “M1 J40-J41 COLLISION”
19. Sat 14:38 All clear: no source reports it any more

Source reports

• Overhead signs read “STRANDED VEHICLE” (2 signs; furthest along: M1 northbound between J40 and J41).
• Overhead signs read “STRANDED VEHICLE” (1 sign; furthest along: M1 northbound between J40 and J41).
• Overhead signs read “COLLISION” (2 signs; furthest along: M1 northbound within J40).
• Overhead signs read “M1 J40-J41 COLLISION” (3 signs; e.g. M1 J39 northbound exit). Marker placed near M1 J40–J41 using the signs there, so it is approximate.
• Stationary traffic, Accident, Broken down vehicle
• M1 northbound between J40 and J41
• Queuing traffic
• Overhead signs read “M1 J40-J41 COLLISION” (2 signs; e.g. M1 northbound between J37 and J38). Marker placed near M1 J40–J41 using the signs there, so it is approximate.
• M1 northbound within J40

Other recent incidents on the M1

• M1 crash J42–J43 northboundyesterday 22:32 · cleared after 1 h 21 min
• M1 crash J43–J42 southboundyesterday 20:39 · cleared after 1 h 44 min
• M1 crash J9–J10 northboundyesterday 19:33 · cleared after 49 min
• M1 crash J17–J16 southboundyesterday 15:34 · cleared after 47 min
• M1 crash J34 northboundyesterday 15:09 · cleared after 42 min
• M1 crash J22–J23 northboundyesterday 14:46 · cleared after 47 min
• M1 crash J20–J21 northboundyesterday 12:30 · cleared after 2 h 51 min
• M1 crash J37–J36 southboundyesterday 08:35 · cleared after 44 min
• M1 stopped traffic J32–J33 northboundyesterday 07:33 · cleared after 1 h 16 min
• M1 crash J8–J9 northboundyesterday 06:00 · cleared after 3 h 31 min

Live traffic and past incidents at M1 J40.

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