One person has died and five have been hospitalised after a devastating early-hours motorway crash. The M65 is shut in both directions between junctions 8 and 10 for Hapton and Burnley, respectively, following the horror smash.
Mercy crews were scrambled to the scene shortly after 3.30am today, with Lancashire Police locking down the road. The closure has led to massive disruption for commuters in the area this morning.
Diversions are in place but the alternative routes have been heavily congested, causing significant delays for motorists. Lancashire Police warned that both carriageways would likely be closed “for quite some time”, reports the Mirror.
Posting on X, formerly Twitter, the force said: “Please be advised that the M65 is currently closed in both directions from J8 to J10 due to a road traffic collision. We anticipate that the road will be closed for some time whilst we make sure the road is safe. We’ll update you here once the road is open again.”
Meanwhile, National Highways confirmed there are diversions via local routes, including the A671 through Padiham, and the A6068, but drivers should expect prolonged travel times across Lancashire. They said: “The M65 in Lancashire is closed in both directions between J8 (Hapton) and J10 (Burnley) due to a serious road traffic collision. Lancashire Police and emergency services are currently in attendance.”
Traffic monitoring service Inrix has reported: “M65 in both directions closed, long delays due to accident investigation work from J8 A56 (Accrington) to J10 A671 Cavalry Way (Burnley / Padiham). Congestion too along the A679 Accrington Road along the diversion route. Very busy on Barrowford Road through Higham and Padiham.”
No further details have been released concerning the identity of the deceased or the condition of those injured. The horror smash took place on the motorway’s oldest stretch—initially opened in 1981 to connect Burnley with Brierfield, Lancashire.
Over time, it witnessed several expansions, most notably the major link from Whitebirk near Blackburn to the M6 and M61 motorways, completed in 1997.
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