M3 crash J3–J2 eastbound

Crash on the M3 eastbound at J3–J2 on Friday 16 October 2026, from 06:26. Cleared at 08:50 after 2 h 24 min. Timeline of reports from the motorway signs and TomTom.

Status

Cleared 08:50 on 16 Oct 2026, after 2 h 24 min

Location

M3 eastbound · J3–J2

Reported as

Collision

At its worst

Stationary traffic · delay ~21 min

Sources

Motorway signs ×4 · TomTom

Timeline

1. 06:26 Motorway signs: “REPORT OF DEBRIS”
2. 06:55 Motorway signs: “DEBRIS IN ROAD”
3. 07:18 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Stationary traffic”, delay ~8 min
4. 07:20 Motorway signs no longer show “REPORT OF DEBRIS”
5. 07:27 TomTom: “Slow traffic”
6. 07:30 Motorway signs: “COLLISION [HCA0]”
7. 07:36 TomTom: now says collision, “Queuing traffic, Accident”
8. 07:41 TomTom: now says queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”
9. 07:50 TomTom: “Queuing traffic”
10. 07:50 Motorway signs no longer show “DEBRIS IN ROAD”
11. 07:59 TomTom: delay now ~15 min (was ~7), “Stationary traffic”
12. 08:04 TomTom: delay now ~21 min (was ~15)
13. 08:11 Motorway signs: “REPORT OF OBSTRUCTION”
14. 08:13 TomTom: delay now ~13 min (was ~20)
15. 08:17 TomTom: delay now ~6 min (was ~13), “Slow traffic”
16. 08:20 Motorway signs no longer show “COLLISION [HCA0]”
17. 08:27 TomTom no longer reports it
18. 08:50 Motorway signs no longer show “REPORT OF OBSTRUCTION”
19. 08:50 All clear: no source reports it any more

Source reports

• Overhead signs read “REPORT OF DEBRIS” (12 signs; furthest along: M3 westbound between J2 and J3).
• Slow traffic
• Overhead signs read “DEBRIS IN ROAD” (7 signs; furthest along: M3 westbound between J2 and J3).
• Overhead signs read “COLLISION [HCA0]” (11 signs; furthest along: M3 eastbound between J3 and J2).
• Overhead signs read “REPORT OF OBSTRUCTION” (2 signs; furthest along: M3 eastbound between J3 and J2).

Other recent incidents on the M3

• M3 stopped traffic J12–J1109:08 · Live
• M3 crash J3–J2 westboundyesterday 06:35 · cleared after 2 h 8 min
• M3 crash J14–J13 eastboundTue 17:06 · cleared after 1 h 33 min
• M3 stopped traffic J13–J12 eastboundTue 10:57 · cleared after 4 h 31 min
• M3 stopped traffic J12–J13Mon 06:54 · cleared after 8 h 40 min
• M3 stopped traffic9 Oct 2026 16:52 · cleared after 41 min
• M3 crash J3–J2 eastbound9 Oct 2026 14:04 · cleared after 2 h 25 min
• M3 reported crash J4–J4A westbound8 Oct 2026 08:54 · cleared after 32 h 45 min
• M3 crash J3–J4 westbound7 Oct 2026 17:05 · cleared after 1 h 24 min
• M3 closed J13–J144 Oct 2026 11:45 · cleared after 1 h 56 min

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