M4 closed J19 westbound (obstruction)

Cleared Cleared at 12:53 on 12 Oct 2026, after 4 h 56 min.

Road closure on the M4 westbound at J19 on Monday 12 October 2026, from 07:57. Cleared at 12:53 after 4 h 56 min. Timeline of reports from TomTom and the motorway signs.

1. ▲

   M4 westbound · J19

   Obstruction or hazard

   Road closed · 07:57–12:53 (cleared after 4 h 56 min) · delay ~57 min · queue 11.7 mi

   TomTom ×4 · Motorway signs ×2

See the M4 on the live map M4 traffic now

Timeline

1. 07:57 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic”, delay ~3 min
2. 08:16 Motorway signs: “VEHICLE FIRE SLOW DOWN”
3. 08:20 TomTom: “Queuing traffic”
4. 08:25 TomTom: “Slow traffic”
5. 08:30 TomTom no longer reports it
6. 08:34 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Queuing traffic”, delay ~7 min (reported again)
7. 08:39 TomTom no longer reports it
8. 08:43 TomTom: obstruction or hazard, “Closed, Vehicle fire”, road closed
9. 08:58 TomTom: obstruction or hazard, “Stationary traffic, Vehicle fire”, delay ~31 min
10. 09:11 TomTom: now says queueing traffic, “Stationary traffic”
11. 09:38 TomTom: obstruction or hazard, “Stationary traffic, Vehicle fire”, delay ~48 min
12. 09:48 TomTom no longer reports it
13. 09:52 TomTom: obstruction or hazard, “Stationary traffic, Vehicle fire”, delay ~37 min (reported again)
14. 09:59 Motorway signs no longer show “VEHICLE FIRE SLOW DOWN”
15. 10:19 TomTom: delay now ~241 min (was ~34)
16. 10:28 TomTom: now says queueing traffic, “Stationary traffic”
17. 10:29 Motorway signs no longer show “VEHICLE FIRE SLOW DOWN”
18. 12:53 TomTom no longer reports it
19. 12:53 All clear: no source reports it any more

What the sources said

• Queuing traffic
• Overhead signs read “VEHICLE FIRE SLOW DOWN” (1 sign; furthest along: M4 westbound within J19).
• Overhead signs read “VEHICLE FIRE SLOW DOWN” (3 signs; furthest along: M4 eastbound between J20 and J19).
• Closed, Vehicle fire
• Stationary traffic

Other recent incidents on the M4

• M4 delays J3–J2 · 06:41, cleared after 1 h 36 min
• M4 reported crash J15–J16 westbound · Sat 12:09, cleared after 1 h 5 min
• M4 crash J3–J2 eastbound · Sat 09:28, cleared after 45 min
• M4 crash J8–J7 eastbound · Fri 20:12, cleared after 1 h 50 min
• M4 reported crash J15–J14 eastbound · Fri 19:27, cleared after 43 min
• M4 stopped traffic J20–J19 · Fri 15:47, cleared after 1 h 10 min
• M4 crash J11–J12 westbound · Fri 15:06, cleared after 11 h 35 min
• M4 delays Westbound · Fri 13:46, cleared after 6 h 59 min
• M4 crash J8–J10 westbound · Fri 12:30, cleared after 2 h 45 min
• M4 reported crash J12–J11 eastbound · Fri 06:27, cleared after 40 min

About this page

This page shows what the data sources reported about this event and when, merged from every source that reported it at the same place. It doesn't say what caused it or whether anyone was hurt: no source reports that. Times are UK time. For live alerts, follow @motorways.me on Bluesky.