M40 stopped traffic J5–J4 southbound

Cleared Cleared at 19:10 on 4 Oct 2026, after 4 h 22 min.

Stopped traffic on the M40 southbound at J5–J4 on Sunday 4 October 2026, from 14:48. Cleared at 19:10 after 4 h 22 min. Timeline of reports from the motorway signs and TomTom.

1. ?

   M40 southbound · J5–J4

   Incident

   14:48–19:10 (cleared after 4 h 22 min) · delay ~32 min · queue 7.9 mi

   Motorway signs ×2 · TomTom ×3

See the M40 on the live map M40 traffic now

Timeline

1. 14:38 Motorway signs: “INCIDENT SLOW DOWN”
2. 15:37 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Queuing traffic”, delay ~4 min
3. 15:48 Motorway signs no longer show “INCIDENT SLOW DOWN”
4. 15:58 Motorway signs: “INCIDENT SLOW DOWN”
5. 16:18 TomTom: delay now ~20 min (was ~12), “Stationary traffic”
6. 16:18 Motorway signs: “INCIDENT SLOW DOWN” (reported again)
7. 16:23 TomTom: collision, “Stationary traffic, Incident”, delay ~31 min
8. 16:23 TomTom: delay now ~32 min (was ~20)
9. 16:32 TomTom: delay now ~16 min (was ~27)
10. 16:37 TomTom: now says queueing traffic, delay now ~10 min (was ~16), “Stationary traffic”
11. 16:42 TomTom no longer reports it
12. 16:46 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Queuing traffic”, delay ~6 min
13. 16:49 Motorway signs no longer show “INCIDENT SLOW DOWN”
14. 18:36 TomTom: “Slow traffic”
15. 18:41 TomTom: “Queuing traffic”
16. 18:59 TomTom: “Slow traffic”
17. 19:10 TomTom no longer reports it
18. 19:10 All clear: no source reports it any more

What the sources said

• Overhead signs read “INCIDENT SLOW DOWN” (1 sign; furthest along: M40 southbound between J5 and J4).
• Stationary traffic
• Overhead signs read “INCIDENT SLOW DOWN” (1 sign; furthest along: M40 northbound between J3 and J4).
• Slow traffic

Other recent incidents on the M40

• M40 reported crash J11 northbound · Thu 21:51, cleared after 35 min
• M40 crash J10 southbound · Thu 12:05, cleared after 1 h 29 min
• M40 crash J16–J15 southbound · Thu 07:26, cleared after 1 h 26 min
• M40 closed J3–J4 · Wed 00:47, cleared after 3 h 45 min
• M40 crash J2–J3 northbound · Tue 19:04, cleared after 1 h 9 min
• M40 reported crash J13–J14 northbound · Tue 13:32, cleared after 40 min
• M40 reported crash J15–J16 northbound · Tue 13:32, cleared after 40 min
• M40 crash J3–J2 southbound · Tue 11:25, cleared after 46 min
• M40 reported crash J2 southbound · Tue 11:09, cleared after 1 h 2 min
• M40 crash J2–J1A southbound · 28 Sept 2026 16:37, cleared after 13 h

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.