M61 closed J2–J1 southbound (obstruction)

Road closure on the M61 southbound at J2–J1 on Thursday 5 November 2026, from 19:39. Still reported at 21:56 UK time. Timeline of reports from the motorway signs and National Highways.

Status

Live since 19:39 (2 h 17 min)

Location

M61 southbound · J2–J1

Reported as

Obstruction or hazard

At its worst

Road closed

Sources

Motorway signs ×2 · National Highways

Timeline

1. 19:22 Motorway signs: “VEHICLE FIRE SLOW DOWN”
2. 19:22 Motorway signs: “VEHICLE FIRE”
3. 19:39 National Highways: road closed
4. 20:10 Motorway signs no longer show “VEHICLE FIRE”
5. 20:22 National Highways: road reopened
6. 20:40 Motorway signs: “VEHICLE FIRE” (reported again)

Source reports

• Overhead signs read “VEHICLE FIRE SLOW DOWN” (1 sign; furthest along: M61 southbound between J2 and J1).
• Overhead signs read “VEHICLE FIRE” (1 sign; furthest along: link road from M61 J1 to M60 J15 anti-clockwise).
• link road from M61 J1 to M60 J15 anti-clockwise

Other recent incidents on the M61

• M61 stopped traffic J3–J206:43 · cleared after 2 h 17 min
• M61 stopped traffic J3yesterday 06:45 · cleared after 4 h 3 min
• M61 crash J14 southboundTue 22:32 · cleared after 2 h 27 min
• M61 stopped traffic J3–J2Tue 17:20 · cleared after 1 h 45 min
• M61 crash J1–J2 northboundTue 13:43 · cleared after 43 min
• M61 crash J14 northboundTue 10:50 · cleared after 36 min
• M61 stopped traffic J9 northboundTue 07:16 · cleared after 2 h 21 min
• M61 stopped traffic J4–J3Tue 06:39 · cleared after 2 h 58 min
• M61 stopped traffic J3–J2Mon 06:36 · cleared after 2 h 45 min
• M61 reported crash J2 northboundSun 16:14 · cleared after 1 h 1 min

Live traffic and past incidents at M61 J2 and M61 J1.

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