A CRASH closed a section of the M40 after a driver was seen travelling the wrong way.
Police confirmed a 4x4 pulling a caravan drove on the wrong side of the M40 between junction 7 and 6 at about 4pm on Monday.
TUESDAY UPDATE - police confirm deaths in crash
It was heading southbound on the northbound carriageway and then was involved in a crash with two other vehicles.
Emergency services including the air ambulance were sent to the crash and one image tweeted from the scene shows a caravan among several vehicles involved.
There has not yet been an update on the severity of injuries from the crash.
West Oxfordshire councillor Colin Dingwall saw the car and caravan heading the wrong way in the outside lane, and told the Oxford Mail: “I’ve seen a lot of things in my 50 years on the road, but never a caravan coming the wrong way up the M40.
“Luckily I and the cars near me managed to pull into the middle lane and get out of the way.
“He must have been going about 60mph. It was a car with foreign plates pulling a caravan. It didn’t look to be slowing down.
“I had about two seconds to react.”
According to Traffic England's online map, the road closure was expected to be lifted by 11.45pm - FOR THE LATEST ON ROAD CLOSURE CLICK HERE
#m40 shut going north before Oxford due to acident pic.twitter.com/iAQgQqYZQI
— Nayed (@DemiranC) October 15, 2018
#m40 at a standstill serious rtc southbound pic.twitter.com/PKuopEU2XN
— MartB (@martb6969) October 15, 2018
The road is closed northbound between Junction 6 and Junction 8A, and there were traffic queues tailing back 14 miles at 5pm.
It remained shut at 11pm and drivers were being diverted via signs with a hollow square symbol.
#M40 is now CLOSED northbound between J6 (for #Watlington) and J8A (for #Oxford). All emergency services including an air ambulance are now in attendance for what is a serious collision. Southbound remains blocked. Please factor this into your journey this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/aaNvhRSQ0e
— Highways England (@HighwaysEAST) October 15, 2018
Oxfordshire County Council said the road will likely be closed for a 'number of hours'.
TRAFFIC ALERT: We've just heard that the #M40 is closed both north and south bound between junction 6 and 8a
— Oxfordshire County (@OxfordshireCC) October 15, 2018
It is likely to be closed for a number of hours and may affect your journey home.
Southbound traffic was temporarily held to assist with the northbound closure, and was also partly blocked due to debris.
Highways England tweeted shortly after 5pm confirming that southbound traffic had been released.
The southbound #M40 (J7-J6) has now been released, however delays of around 4.5 miles remain on approach. Northbound remains closed. If you're caught within the closure of the northbound carriageway, plans will shortly be put into place to release you. We appreciate your patience
— Highways England (@HighwaysEAST) October 15, 2018
A Thames Valley Police spokesman said the road will be closed for a 'substantial' length of time.
Northbound traffic was allowed to turn round and join the southbound M40 after a 'gate' was cut out of the central reservation, and traffic was also passing on the hard shoulder.
Police now want anyone with footage of the car or the crash to contact them.
Call on 101 or CLICK HERE quoting reference 832 (15/10).
⚠️RTC on M40⚠️
— Thames Valley Police (@ThamesVP) October 15, 2018
It has been reported to the Force that there has been an RTC on the M40 near junction 6 of the northbound carriageway.
The road is currently blocked, therefore we would ask motorists to avoid the area at this time.
Further updates to follow. pic.twitter.com/cZYndP5L8u
Traffic camera image from Highways England near J6
Oxford Bus Company's Airline and X90 services were running with delays and are unable to serve Lewknor.
Due to an RTC on the M40, our airline and X90 services are running with 20+ minute delays.
— Oxford Bus Company (@OxfordBusCo) October 15, 2018
Due to an RTC on the M40, our airline coaches will be unable to serve Lewknor. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
— Oxford Bus Company (@OxfordBusCo) October 15, 2018
All emergency services were sent to deal with the crash.
#m40 at a standstill serious rtc southbound pic.twitter.com/PKuopEU2XN
— MartB (@martb6969) October 15, 2018
#m40 looking awful at junction 7. Loads of police, ambulances and fire engines and a helicopter 🙁 pic.twitter.com/ftx5wKoZkF
— Beano Brown (@BeanoBrown) October 15, 2018
Liz Hindmarsh tweeted: "My husband had to swerve into the middle lane otherwise he’d have been hit by the caravan travelling the wrong way down the M40 in the outside (fast) lane."
Traffic shown on Google Maps on the M40 at 5pm
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