Drivers face significant M6 delays in Cheshire following a considerable spill of soil and sewage from a heavy goods vehicle.
The northbound carriageway is heavily impacted, with two lanes shut between junction 19 for Knutsford and junction 20 for the Lymm Interchange, according to National Highways.
The link road from the M6 northbound junction 20,connecting to the M56 westbound junction nine and the A50,is also closed.
Motorists are currently experiencing delays of approximately 90 minutes. Traffic is backed up for about 12 miles on the approach to the incident.
The incident began on August 21, 2025, when a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) shed its load of soil and sewage onto the M6 northbound carriageway in Cheshire. The spill occurred between junctions 19 and 20, causing significant disruption to traffic flow. National Highways promptly responded by closing two lanes of the northbound carriageway and the connecting link road to the M56 and A50 to facilitate cleanup and assessment.
As of the latest reports, delays stretched to approximately 90 minutes, with traffic backing up over 12 miles. Emergency services and cleanup crews worked to clear the spillage and assess any damage to the road surface. The nature of the spill – a combination of soil and sewage – presented a complex cleanup operation, requiring specialized equipment and procedures. The HGV driver was not reported to be injured, and investigations are underway to determine the cause of the load shedding.
National Highways announced at 4:30 PM BST that all lanes had been reopened following the completion of the cleanup operation. The link road to the M56 and A50 was also reopened to traffic. While residual delays were expected to continue for some time as traffic returned to normal levels, the major disruption caused by the spill had been resolved. Authorities advised motorists to continue to check traffic updates for any lingering congestion.
