Motorists delayed in M1 closure

The motorway was closed both south and northbound

Motorists were stuck in traffic for more than three hours after the M1 in Northamptonshire was shut.

Vehicles ground to a halt when the motorway closed northbound at junction 16 and southbound at junction 18 after a van caught fire on the hard shoulder.

Both carriageways reopened after fire crews removed a propane gas cylinder from the van.

The road closure caused tailbacks of 10 miles on the northbound carriageway between junctions 15 and 16.

The southbound carriageway was moving again at 1600 BST but there was a delay to re-open the northbound stretch - because some motorists had left their vehicles to stretch their legs.

The police helicopter had to hover overhead so officers could inform drivers the road had reopened.

It has been an absolute nightmare for motorists who have been stuck in their vehicles for up to three hours Kevin Petrie from online traffic operator Keepmoving.co.uk

Both carriageways of the motorway, near Watford Gap services, reopened after 1700 BST.

The incident also sparked heavy congestion in nearby roads, especially at the A45/A5 Weedon crossroads and also in the area of Whilton. Roads in Northampton were also choked.

One man contacted the BBC by e-mail to say: "Mayhem! Gridlocked completely in and around Daventry as people get on to the A5 or come through the town to join the A45 instead of staying on the M1.

"It is always the same when the motorway is blocked. Some local people can't get home - even though it is only 2/3 miles up the road to a village."

Traffic at a standstill on the M1 after a van caught fire

The M45 which was closed at its approach to the M1 has also reopened.

Kevin Petrie, from online traffic information service Keepmoving.co.uk, said: "It has been an absolute nightmare for motorists who have been stuck in their vehicles for up to three hours.

"There were tailbacks of between eight and 10 miles on the northbound carriageway of the M1 and there was an enormous amount of trapped vehicles between junctions 16 and 18.

"There are problems in Northampton and the A45 has been solid all day."

All trains running along the West coast mainline had been stopped but services have now been resumed.

Virgin Trains spokesman David Ewart said: "We had to divert all train services via Northampton from 1430 with delays of about 30 minutes. Normal services had resumed by 1600."