M6 stopped traffic J23–J22 southbound

Stopped traffic on the M6 southbound at J23–J22 on Tuesday 20 October 2026, from 06:41. Still reported at 08:58 UK time. Timeline of reports from TomTom, the motorway signs and National Highways.

Status

Live since 06:41 (2 h 17 min)

Location

M6 southbound · J23–J22

Reported as

Broken-down vehicle

Delay

~24 min

At its worst

Stationary traffic · delay ~32 min

Sources

TomTom ×8 · Motorway signs ×4 · National Highways ×2

Timeline

1. 06:41 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic, Lane closed”, delay ~4 min
2. 06:54 Motorway signs: “STRANDED VEHICLE”
3. 06:55 TomTom: “Queuing traffic, Lane closed”
4. 07:04 TomTom: delay now ~19 min (was ~14)
5. 07:18 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Stationary traffic”, delay ~19 min
6. 07:18 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic, Lane closed”, delay ~6 min
7. 07:22 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Stationary traffic”, delay ~18 min
8. 07:22 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic, Lane closed”, delay ~6 min
9. 07:27 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Queuing traffic, Lane closed”, delay ~4 min
10. 07:27 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic, Lane closed”, delay ~6 min (reported again)
11. 07:31 TomTom: “Slow traffic”
12. 07:36 TomTom: delay now ~29 min (was ~22)
13. 07:36 TomTom: “Queuing traffic, Lane closed”
14. 07:36 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic, Lane closed”, delay ~4 min
15. 07:37 Motorway signs: “REPORT OF OBSTRUCTION”
16. 07:40 TomTom: “Queuing traffic, Lane closed”
17. 07:45 TomTom: “Slow traffic, Lane closed”
18. 07:50 TomTom: “Queuing traffic, Lane closed”
19. 07:54 TomTom: delay now ~22 min (was ~32)
20. 07:54 TomTom: delay now ~17 min (was ~12)
21. 07:59 TomTom: “Slow traffic, Lane closed”
22. 08:03 TomTom: “Queuing traffic, Lane closed”
23. 08:05 Motorway signs: “REPORT OF OBSTRUCTION”
24. 08:08 National Highways: 1 of 4 lanes closed
25. 08:12 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Slow traffic, Lane closed”, delay ~3 min (reported again)
26. 08:15 Motorway signs no longer show “REPORT OF OBSTRUCTION”
27. 08:17 TomTom: delay now ~18 min (was ~28), “Queuing traffic”
28. 08:20 Motorway signs: “STRANDED VEHICLE”
29. 08:21 TomTom: “Queuing traffic, Lane closed”
30. 08:31 TomTom: queueing traffic, “Queuing traffic, Lane closed”, delay ~22 min
31. 08:35 TomTom: “Stationary traffic, Lane closed”
32. 08:43 National Highways: lane closure lifted
33. 08:45 TomTom: “Queuing traffic, Lane closed”
34. 08:45 Motorway signs no longer show “STRANDED VEHICLE”
35. 08:49 TomTom: “Stationary traffic, Lane closed”

Source reports

• Queuing traffic, Lane closed
• Overhead signs read “STRANDED VEHICLE” (3 signs; furthest along: M6 southbound between J23 and J22).
• Stationary traffic
• Slow traffic, Lane closed
• Stationary traffic, Lane closed
• Overhead signs read “REPORT OF OBSTRUCTION” (2 signs; furthest along: M6 northbound within J23).
• Overhead signs read “REPORT OF OBSTRUCTION” (2 signs; furthest along: M6 northbound between J22 and J23).
• M6 southbound within J22
• M6 southbound between J23 and J22
• Overhead signs read “STRANDED VEHICLE” (1 sign; furthest along: M6 southbound within J22).

Other recent incidents on the M6

• M6 stopped traffic J8–J906:19 · Live
• M6 stopped traffic J7–J6 southbound06:14 · Live
• M6 crash J23 northbound01:45 · cleared after 2 h 16 min
• M6 reported crash J23–J22 southbound01:45 · cleared after 58 min
• M6 crash J21–J21Ayesterday 18:55 · cleared after 32 min
• M6 reported crash J21A southboundyesterday 18:41 · cleared after 1 h
• M6 stopped traffic J22–J23 northboundyesterday 18:25 · cleared after 2 h 57 min
• M6 crash J22–J23 northboundyesterday 14:29 · cleared after 2 h 42 min
• M6 crash J8–J9 northboundyesterday 13:40 · cleared after 6 h 10 min
• M6 stopped traffic J4–J4A northboundyesterday 12:16 · cleared after 1 h 54 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.