M1 traffic cameras show major congestion near Leicester
Emergency services including an air ambulance have landed at the scene of a serious crash on a major UK motorway. Queues were building on the M1 in Leicestershire after the collision between Junction 21 and Junction 20 on the southbound carriageway.
Leicestershire Police said they were called to a single vehicle collision involving a motorcycle at around 9.10am. An Air Ambulance landed on the motorway to recover the casualty and their condition has not been released at this stage.
A post earlier on the National Highways website said: "The M1 southbound was closed at 09:24 to provide a safe and sterile working environment for Leicestershire Police, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, East Midlands Ambulance Service and The Air Ambulance Service at the scene of a serious collision involving a motorbike.
"Traffic was temporarily held on the northbound carriageway by National Highways Traffic Officers to allow The Air Ambulance Service to land directly at scene.
"The northbound carriageway was unable to be released when The Air Ambulance Service left due to an animal being loose on the carriageway. Northbound traffic was able to be released at around 10:27 with a lane 3 (of 3) closure remaining in place.
"The southbound carriageway remained closed at J21 for Leicestershire Police collision investigations. Efforts to release traffic caught within the southbound closure began at 10:43, with traffic being released slowly past the scene."
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Emergency services have landed at the scene on the M1 (Image: Traffic Cameras UK)
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Richard Ashmore
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Richard Ashmore
Traffic slowly being released on M1 Southbound
Traffic is now being released past the scene, with 1 lane being released at a time. Due to the volume of traffic it may take some time before you see any movement.
Richard Ashmore
New statement from National Highways
The road agency said: "The M1 southbound was closed at 09:24 to provide a safe and sterile working environment for Leicestershire Police, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, East Midlands Ambulance Service and The Air Ambulance Service at the scene of a serious collision involving a motorbike.
"Traffic was temporarily held on the northbound carriageway by National Highways Traffic Officers to allow The Air Ambulance Service to land directly at scene.
"The northbound carriageway was unable to be released when The Air Ambulance Service left due to an animal being loose on the carriageway. Northbound traffic was able to be released at around 10:27 with a lane 3 (of 3) closure remaining in place.
"The southbound carriageway remains closed at J21 for Leicestershire Police collision investigations.
:Efforts to release traffic caught within the southbound closure began at 10:43, with traffic being released slowly past the scene."
Richard Ashmore
Drivers in queues being told to return to their vehicles.
LeicestershireLive reports Motorists are being asked to return to their vehicles on the M1 northbound near Junction 21 for Leicester.
Overhead motorway signs are displaying the message: RETURN TO VEHICLE. The reason for the instruction has not yet been confirmed.
Richard Ashmore
Some lanes reportedly now opening
One lane closed on northbound, others re-open
The Inrix traffic service is reporting that one lane remains shut on the northbound carriageway from Lutterworth to Leicester but the others are now open again.
Richard Ashmore
Leicestershire Police statement
A spokesperson for Leicestershire Police confirmed the force were "called to a report of a single vehicle collision on the southbound carriageway of the M1, between junction 21 and 20, just after 9.10am".
They added: "Both sides of the M1 are closed to allow air ambulance to land.
"The collision involved a motorcycle, full extent of the rider’s injuries are not known at this time."
Richard Ashmore
Google maps show large stretch of motorway closed south of Leicester
Google maps shows a huge length of the M1 closed or packed with traffic after the incident this morning.
The red line on the map indicates the stretch of motorway affected, running from the west of Leicester to as far south as Lutterworth.
The area in red shows traffic and road closures (Image: Google )
Richard Ashmore
Diversion routes announced by National Highways
The M1 in Leicestershire is closed southbound between J21 (M69, Leicester) and J20 (Lutterworth) due to a collision.
National Highways said: "The M1 southbound is closed to provide a safe and sterile working environment for East Midlands Ambulance Service at the scene of a serious collision.
"Traffic was temporarily held on the northbound carriageway by National Highways Traffic Officers to allow The Air Ambulance Service to land directly at scene."
Diversion Routes
Southbound diverted traffic is also advised to follow the hollow square diversion symbol:
Exit the M1 southbound at Junction 21 and take the third exit (south/west) onto the M69.
Continue south/westbound on the M69 for approximately 14.5kms to M69 Junction1/A5 Interchange.
At M69 Junction 1 exit the motorway and take the first exit (left) onto the A5 southbound.
Continue along the A5 southbound for approximately 10.3kms to the A5/A4303 Cross in Hand Roundabout.
At the roundabout take the first exit (left) onto the A4303 eastbound.
Continue eastbound along the A4303 passing through the roundabouts at Magna Park and Coventry Road to the A5/A426
Lutterworth Road/Rugby Road Roundabout.
At the roundabout take the second exit (straight ahead) and continue eastbound along the A4303 to M1 Junction 20. Then rejoin the M1 southbound.
Richard Ashmore
Images from the scene show traffic building up
Images from TrafficCameras.uk show vehicles queuing up as emergency services deal with the incident.
Cars and lorries queueing (Image: TrafficCameras)
Traffic being diverted (Image: TrafficCameras )
Sam Ormiston
Welcome to our live coverage
Welcome to our live coverage of this breaking news incident. The Daily Express team will be bringing you live updates after a "serious" crash has closed the southbound carriageway on the M1.
We will be bringing you live updates as we receive them.
