Long queues on M6 after lorry and van smash - latest updates

There are long delays on the M6 this afternoon (Thursday, May 18) after a lorry and a van crashed.

According to motorway officials, there are four-and-a-half miles of congestion because three of four lanes are shut off. The closure is between junctions 17 and 18.

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Junction 17 is for Sandbach and 18 is for Holmes Chapel. A tweet from Highways North West said: "3 lanes (of 4) are closed on the #M6 northbound in Cheshire between J17 (Sandbach) and J18 (Holmes Chapel) following a collision involving a van and a lorry.

"Recovery is being arranged. There's a 30 minute delay on approach with 4.5 miles of congestion."

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We now have an update from traffic monitoring service Inrix on this incident. At 5:26pm, it posted: "Long delays, one lane closed and queueing traffic for six miles due to recovery work and accident, three cars involved on M6 Northbound from J17 A534 Old Mill Road ( Sandbach / Crewe) to J18 A54 Middlewich Road (Middlewich / Holmes Chapel).

"Congestion to almost back to J16 A500 (Stoke). Travel time is 30 minutes. Lane one (of four) remains closed, the accident was in lane four before police re-positioned the vehicles."