Major holiday travel on one of Britain’s busiest motorway corridors has been thrown into turmoil after a serious police operation forced the closure of the M6 in both directions between junctions 31 and 32 in Lancashire, together with key links on the M55 interchange near Preston.

With National Highways confirming on January 1, 2026 that there is “no estimated time for reopening,” thousands of drivers have been left facing severe disruption, lengthy diversions and mounting uncertainty about when the strategic route will be fully restored.

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The closure was first confirmed early on New Year’s Day by National Highways, which reported that the M6 in Lancashire was shut in both directions between junction 31, serving Preston and the A59, and junction 32, where the motorway connects with the M55 towards Blackpool. Officials described the shutdown as a police-led incident, immediately elevating the seriousness of the situation and triggering a full emergency response across the corridor.

At the same time, traffic was blocked or heavily restricted on the M55 at its eastern end, effectively sealing off the M6–M55 interchange and preventing normal flows between the North West, Scotland and the Midlands. Lancashire Police units, supported by National Highways traffic officers, established a wide cordon on both motorways to secure the area, turning the usually busy New Year route into an eerie stretch of empty tarmac lined with emergency vehicles.

Authorities have declined to release detailed information about the exact nature of the incident but stressed that the decision to close both directions of the M6, and to severely limit movements on the M55 link, reflects the scale and sensitivity of the operation. The police presence around Preston, already heightened over the festive period, was visibly intensified as specialist units were drafted in and motorway access points tightly controlled.

With officers still working at the scene into the day, traffic cameras and eyewitness reports indicated long queues forming on approaches in both directions, as drivers were halted well before they reached the main closure zone. For many, plans for returning home from New Year celebrations or starting trips around the UK were thrown abruptly off course.

No Reopening Time as Emergency Services Work Through the Day

In a formal update, National Highways warned that due to the nature of the police operation there was “currently no estimated time for reopening,” a phrase that immediately signalled to regular users of the M6 that the disruption could be prolonged. That uncertainty has become the defining feature of the incident, compounding delays with the frustration of not knowing how long to expect the closure to last.

Fire and ambulance crews were also sighted in the vicinity of the interchange, indicating the potential complexity of the response on the motorway network. While officials refrained from confirming casualties or whether any hazardous materials were involved, the multi-agency presence suggested that this was far more than a minor collision or routine enforcement check.

Past incidents on the same corridor offer a sobering comparison. Previous serious crashes and tanker spills in the Preston area have seen the M6 or connecting routes closed for many hours at a time while investigators gathered evidence, specialist teams made the scene safe and extensive carriageway repairs were carried out. In those cases, drivers experienced delays well in excess of two or three hours, with some reporting being stationary on the motorway for half a day or more.

On this occasion, officials have not indicated whether structural damage to the road or central barriers is involved. However, by explicitly stating that there is no reopening time in sight, authorities appear to be preparing the travelling public for the possibility that restrictions could stretch into the evening or even beyond, depending on how the police operation unfolds.

Complex Diversions and Long Tailbacks Around Preston

With the M6 entirely blocked between junctions 31 and 32, National Highways has activated signed diversion routes in both directions to funnel traffic around Preston via the local road network. Northbound drivers are instructed to leave the motorway at junction 31, follow the A59 towards the city, then use the A5085 and A6 northbound before looping back to the M55 and rejoining the M6 at junction 32.

For southbound traffic, the official diversion sends vehicles from the M6 onto the M55 westbound at junction 32, then off again at junction 1 to pick up the A6 southbound into Preston, connect with the A5085 and A59, and finally return to the M6 at junction 31. While familiar to local motorists as a standard contingency template for incidents at the Preston interchange, this route places huge pressure on ordinary city streets and radial A-roads that were never designed to absorb such volumes for prolonged periods.

Early indications suggest that diversion corridors have quickly become saturated, with heavy congestion reported along the A6 between Broughton, Barton, Bilsborrow and central Preston. Slow-moving traffic has spread into residential districts and local business areas, hampering everything from bus schedules to freight deliveries.

Drivers unfamiliar with Lancashire’s road layout have also struggled to follow diversion symbols and roundabout exits in dense traffic, prompting further delays as vehicles change lanes at the last moment or seek to rejoin missed turns.

National Highways has urged motorists not to rely solely on satellite navigation, which may attempt to route traffic down unsuitable minor roads or rural lanes in an effort to bypass queues. Instead, officials advise sticking with the signed diversion routes, building in substantial extra journey time and, where possible, considering postponing travel entirely until the M6 corridor is fully reopened.

Travel Disruption Ripple Effects Across the North West

The M6 in Lancashire is one of the spine routes of the UK’s motorway network, linking the Midlands and North West England with Cumbria and onward to Scotland. Any full closure on this section has an immediate impact well beyond Preston, as freight movements, holiday traffic and regional commuting flows are all forced to re-route or slow down.

On January 1, the combination of holiday travel and a major police operation created a particularly challenging scenario. Southbound drivers heading from Scotland and Cumbria towards the Manchester area or the Midlands faced the prospect of being diverted onto local roads or held for extended periods at the back of queues. Northbound traffic coming from Birmingham, Stoke and Warrington into Lancashire met similar disruption as it approached the closure from the south.

Transport planners have long warned that the Preston stretch of the M6 is vulnerable to severe knock-on effects whenever an incident requires a full closure. Parallel routes, such as sections of the A6 and A59, quickly reach capacity, while more distant alternatives via the M61, M65 or A66 can add substantial time and distance to journeys. For logistics operators on tight delivery windows, even a few extra hours on the road can have repercussions for supply chains, staffing and onward connections.

Rail services through the region are also under pressure at this time of year, with engineering works and bridge replacement projects scheduled on key stretches of the West Coast Main Line further north. That limits the ability of travellers to switch mode at short notice, increasing reliance on the motorway system precisely when one of its most important links is unavailable.

Local Communities Face Gridlock and Safety Concerns

For communities around Preston, Broughton and the wider Ribble Valley, the sudden re-routing of heavy motorway flows through local streets has both practical and safety implications. Residents in areas adjacent to the A6 and A59 have reported a sharp rise in traffic noise, lengthy queues past schools and shops, and difficulties accessing driveways and side roads.

Local authorities and police neighbourhood teams have appealed for patience and caution from drivers unfamiliar with the area. With more pedestrians on the streets on New Year’s Day, including families and visitors, the mix of high traffic density and stop-start driving on local roads raises the risk of minor collisions and close calls at junctions and crossings.

Emergency vehicle access across the city becomes more complicated under such conditions, particularly when narrow streets and residential rat-runs start to attract drivers following real-time traffic apps. Authorities are understood to be monitoring key junctions and may deploy additional traffic management measures if queues worsen or if specific hotspots emerge.

The disruption also affects businesses that depend on passing trade or timely deliveries. Retailers and hospitality venues in and around Preston city centre face cancellations and late arrivals as customers struggle to reach them, while industrial and logistics firms along the motorway corridor must juggle altered schedules, delayed shipments and re-routed fleets.

Guidance for Travellers: What Drivers Should Do Now

With no firm reopening time available for the M6 and M55 around Preston, both local and long-distance travellers are being urged to take a cautious, well-informed approach before setting off. Transport officials advise checking live traffic updates from trusted national sources and local broadcasters, planning alternative routes in advance and avoiding peak hours where possible.

Drivers already on the network and approaching Lancashire from the south may wish to consider diverting earlier, using the M61, M65 or other regional corridors where appropriate, rather than pressing on towards the closure and becoming trapped in tailbacks. Similarly, those heading south from Cumbria might opt to break their journey or follow signed alternatives before reaching the Preston bottleneck.

Motorists who find themselves already caught within the diversion system are being reminded to remain with their vehicles, follow instructions from police and traffic officers and avoid making risky manoeuvres in an attempt to save a few minutes. Authorities consistently emphasise that improperly using hard shoulders, performing U-turns or driving the wrong way up slip roads during major incidents can quickly lead to secondary collisions and additional closures.

For holidaymakers and families with flexible schedules, the clearest advice remains to delay non-essential trips until the M6 and M55 are confirmed as fully reopened. While that may involve rearranging plans at short notice, it helps ease the strain on local diversion routes and reduces the risk of being stuck roadside for prolonged periods.

Context: A Corridor Prone to High-Impact Incidents

The Preston section of the M6 has developed an unwelcome reputation in recent years for high-impact incidents that lead to hours of gridlock and major travel disruption across the North West. Serious collisions, overturned lorries and large-scale fuel or diesel spills have all prompted full or partial closures between key junctions, often requiring overnight resurfacing or barrier repairs before traffic can safely resume.

National Highways and Lancashire Police have repeatedly highlighted the inherent vulnerability of this corridor, where high volumes of long-distance and local traffic converge at complex interchanges such as the junction with the M55. Even minor lane blockages can quickly trigger stop-start conditions and rear-end shunts, while more serious events demand a cautious and methodical response that inevitably takes time.

In response, a combination of road safety campaigns, improved signage and enforcement efforts has been deployed, alongside long-term planning for upgrades and resilience improvements. Yet incidents like the current police-led closure underline the fact that not every disruption is predictable or preventable. When major operations unfold on or near the carriageway, public safety and investigative integrity take precedence over keeping the traffic moving.

For regular users of the M6 and M55, the latest shutdown is a stark reminder of how quickly a routine journey can be transformed by events ahead. It also reinforces the importance of building flexibility into travel schedules and keeping a close eye on incident reports, particularly at busy holiday periods when the motorway network is already under strain.

FAQ

Q1. What exactly has happened on the M6 and M55 in Lancashire?
Emergency services are dealing with a serious police-led incident on the M6 between junctions 31 and 32 near Preston, which has also affected the M55 interchange, leading to full closures and extensive traffic management around the area.

Q2. Which sections of the motorways are currently closed?
The M6 is closed in both directions between junction 31, serving Preston and the A59, and junction 32, where it connects with the M55. Access through the M6–M55 interchange is also heavily restricted, effectively blocking normal movements between the two motorways.

Q3. Is there any estimated time for the motorways to reopen?
No. National Highways and Lancashire Police have stated that due to the nature of the incident there is currently no estimated time for reopening, meaning the disruption could continue for many hours.

Q4. What diversion routes are in place for northbound drivers?
Northbound traffic is being directed off the M6 at junction 31, then along the A59 towards Preston, the A5085 and the A6 northbound towards Broughton, before rejoining the motorway network near junction 32 via the M55.

Q5. How are southbound motorists being diverted?
Southbound drivers are being sent from the M6 onto the M55 westbound at junction 32, leaving at junction 1 to follow the A6 south into Preston, then using the A5085 and A59 to return to the M6 at junction 31.

Q6. How severe are the delays expected to be?
Delays are already significant, with long queues reported on approaches to the closure and on diversion routes such as the A6 and A59. Drivers are being told to expect extended journey times and, where possible, to delay or re-route their travel.

Q7. Are local roads around Preston also affected?
Yes. The diversion of motorway traffic onto local A-roads has created heavy congestion through Preston, Broughton and surrounding communities, affecting bus services, local journeys and access to residential and commercial areas.

Q8. What should drivers do if they are planning to travel through Lancashire today?
Motorists are advised to check the latest traffic information before setting off, consider alternative routes that avoid the Preston stretch of the M6 and M55, build in substantial extra time or, where their plans allow, postpone non-essential journeys until the incident is resolved.

Q9. Is public transport a viable alternative during the closure?
Some travellers may be able to switch to rail or coach services, but capacity and existing engineering works on certain lines limit how much pressure public transport can absorb, so it is important to verify current timetables and disruption alerts before making plans.

Q10. How can motorists stay updated as the situation develops?
Drivers should monitor official traffic and travel updates from national and regional authorities, listen to local radio travel bulletins and watch for changing messages on motorway signs, which will signal when closures are lifted or diversion routes are altered.