M5 stopped traffic J4A–J5 southbound

Cleared Cleared at 17:53 on 12 Oct 2026, after 1 h 50 min.

Stopped traffic on the M5 southbound at J4A–J5 on Monday 12 October 2026, from 16:03. Cleared at 17:53 after 1 h 50 min. Timeline of reports from the motorway signs, TomTom and National Highways.

1. B

   M5 southbound · J4A–J5

   Broken-down vehicle

   1 of 4 lanes closed · Mon 16:03–Mon 17:53 (cleared after 1 h 50 min) · delay ~4 min · queue 4.9 mi

   Motorway signs · TomTom · National Highways

At its worst: stationary traffic · delay ~32 min

See the M5 on the live map M5 traffic now

Timeline

1. Mon 16:03 Motorway signs: “STRANDED VEHICLE”
2. Mon 16:55 National Highways: 1 of 4 lanes closed
3. Mon 17:01 TomTom: broken-down vehicle, “Slow traffic, Broken down vehicle”, delay ~2 min
4. Mon 17:10 TomTom: “Queuing traffic, Broken down vehicle”
5. Mon 17:15 TomTom: delay now ~13 min (was ~6), “Stationary traffic, Broken down vehicle”
6. Mon 17:24 TomTom: delay now ~32 min (was ~17)
7. Mon 17:29 TomTom: now says queueing traffic, delay now ~15 min (was ~32), “Stationary traffic”
8. Mon 17:30 National Highways: lane closure lifted
9. Mon 17:33 TomTom: delay now ~9 min (was ~15), “Queuing traffic”
10. Mon 17:38 TomTom: delay now ~4 min (was ~9), “Slow traffic”
11. Mon 17:42 TomTom no longer reports it
12. Mon 17:53 Motorway signs no longer show “STRANDED VEHICLE”
13. Mon 17:53 All clear: no source reports it any more

What the sources said

• Overhead signs read “STRANDED VEHICLE” (2 signs; furthest along: M5 southbound between J4A and J5).
• Slow traffic
• M5 southbound between J4A and J5

Other recent incidents on the M5

• M5 reported crash J10–J9 northbound · 10:03, cleared after 1 h 1 min
• M5 crash J11A–J11 northbound · 07:50, cleared after 50 min
• M5 closed J24–J23 · 02:47, cleared after 2 h 54 min
• M5 crash J25–J24 southbound · yesterday 16:07, cleared after 7 h 54 min
• M5 stopped traffic J6–J5 · yesterday 07:28, cleared after 1 h 27 min
• M5 closed J24–J23 · yesterday 01:26, cleared after 3 h 54 min
• M5 stopped traffic J24–J23 · Mon 21:37, cleared after 1 h 32 min
• M5 stopped traffic J10–J11 · Mon 16:15, cleared after 42 min
• M5 crash J3–J2 northbound · Mon 10:29, cleared after 2 h 23 min
• M5 stopped traffic J15–J16 southbound · Mon 08:25, cleared after 4 h 28 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.