Multiple incidents caused significant disruptions on the M5 motorway today, December 27, leading to frustrating delays for drivers throughout the morning and early afternoon.
The morning began with a vehicle fire on the southbound carriageway, disrupting two lanes between junction 21 for Weston-super-Mare and junction 22 for Burnham-on-Sea. According to traffic monitoring site INRIx, the fire resulted in heavy traffic congestion. The lanes eventually reopened, and traffic returned to normal by 7:20 am. INRIx reported, "Two lanes closed and heavy traffic due to vehicle fire on M5 southbound from J21 A370 (Weston-super-Mare) to J22 (Burnham-on-Sea)."
By the afternoon, events worsened as two separate accidents left both directions of the M5 partially blocked. Shortly before 3 pm, INRIx captured reports of traffic jams, particularly indicating issues at junction 16 near Aztec West and at junction 20 near Clevedon. The INRIx report noted: "M5 Southbound partially blocked, queuing traffic due to accident at J16 A38 Gloucester Road (Aztec West)." Meanwhile, on the Northbound side, it added, "M5 Northbound partially blocked, queuing traffic due to accident at J20 B3133 Ettlingen Way (Clevedon)." Drivers were warned about the resulting queuing traffic, extending back considerably.
Compounding these issues were long-term roadworks, creating additional headaches for drivers on the M5. National Highways advised of delays averaging over 45 minutes between junction 28 at Cullompton and junction 26 at Wellington, where contraflow systems are currently implemented. The South-West region of National Highways proclaimed, "Delays of 45+ minutes above normal travel times on the #M5 in #Devon due to long-term roadworks and contraflow system between J28 #Cullompton and J26 #Wellington." Traffic on other nearby routes, like the A30 eastbound, was also affected.
Drivers approaching junction 27 at Tiverton were warned of 30+ minute delays, linked to the same long-term roadworks and contraflow systems. Heavy traffic was reported along the A30 eastbound route, causing significant delays and backlogs around Exeter as well. National Highways stated: "There are 30+ minute delays on the M5 both north and south on the approach to J27 at Tiverton due to the long-term roadworks and contraflow system currently in place."
Eyewitness reports also highlighted the urgent need for drivers to remain alert to changing conditions as delays were exacerbated by the two crashes noted earlier. While specifics on the accidents, including the number of vehicles involved, remained unclear, the potential for lengthy backups continued to rise as reports flowed from all involved traffic management parties. Each of the separate incidents continued contributing to overall traffic havoc across sections of the motorway.
The delays and incidents prompted extensive reporting and live blogging from local news outlets and traffic services to keep drivers updated and informed. Acknowledging these developments, INRIx provided regular updates, contributing to the shared awareness of how these incidents were impacting travel times.
Motorists were advised to allow extra time for their journeys if traveling through affected areas, as conditions were expected to remain challenging throughout the day. Traffic monitoring services up-to-date on the situation provided confirmation of lane statuses, though the true extent of delays could fluctuate rapidly due to the dynamic nature of the incidents.
Travelers using the M5 today faced the dual challenges of responding to newly developing accidents and enduring roadworks meant to improve future traffic flow. Keeping alert to the inherent risks and remaining patient was emphasized as being key to safe traveling on the heavily trafficked M5 during today's significant disruption.
