Christmas Eve travellers have been hit by chaos after an overturned lorry resulted in thousands of motorists being forced to sit in standstill traffic.
The Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) struck a safety barrier between junctions seven and eight of the M40 in Oxfordshire this morning.
The journey home for Christmas for many became marred with delays of up to 45 minutes, with traffic stretching back to junction nine.
National Highways confirmed all lanes between junctions J8A for Waterstock and J6 for Lewknor were closed as a result of the overhanging HGV.
The Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) struck a safety barrier between junctions seven and eight of the M40
National Highways
Craig Sowden, the operations manager for the National Highways eastern region, said: “This collision has left an HGV balancing precariously over a footpath used by members of the public below.
“We have looked at all possible options, but the only way to manage this situation safely is to close the carriageway. We thank drivers for their patience, and would advise them to allow extra time for their journeys.”
Just before 6.30pm, the road fully reopened and there are now residual delays of less than 10 minutes.
Travel cancellations have plagued the UK today, on one of the busiest days of the year for travelling which sees on average three million people rush to get home.
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National Highways said the accident had ‘left an HGV balancing precariously over a footpath’
National Highways
National Highways has reported severe congestion on multiple roads, including the M6, M5 and M25, as well as the M40.
The chaos follows a weekend that saw more than 100 flights cancelled at Heathrow Airport alone, while dozens of ferry routes in Scotland and Ireland were suspended due to adverse weather conditions.
Snow has caused particular problems on the M62, with one lane closed as holidaymakers attempt to reach their destinations.
Meanwhile, in London, there was no service on the Piccadilly Line between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge, with severe delays on the rest of the line due to damage caused by falling leaves.
Just before 6.30pm, the road fully reopened and there are now residual delays of less than 10 minutes
National Highways
Those travelling between London Waterloo and Guildford via Clandon were also warned to check their routes before they begin their journey, with many services being affected due to emergency engineering works.
Travel expert Simon Calder spoke to GB News earlier today about the “painful” disruption to festive journeys taking place across the country today.
Speaking to host Martin Daubney, Calder warned passengers about crucial timing considerations for Christmas Eve rail travel, with services beginning to wind down rapidly.
He cautioned that most trains will be in their depots by mid-evening, with limited exceptions.
Airports across the UK are showing signs of recovery from weekend disruption, though new challenges have emerged. A significant issue arose when American Airlines implemented a worldwide ground stop at 11.50am, lasting an hour.
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