Long Delays on M1

14 June 2012, 12:22 | Updated: 14 June 2012, 12:29

Drivers have faced delays of more than two hours on the southbound M1 after a lorry overturned in Northamptonshire, trapping the driver.

The crash happened between Junction 16 for Northampton West and 15A for Towcester at 6.20am on Thursday 14 June 2012, which is still closed.

There were also long delays on the northbound M1 as people slowed to look at the crash on the other carriageway.

It took fire crews around five hours to free the driver from the lorry, from where they were flown to the Walsgrave Hospital in Coventry.

Once the driver was freed, work began to clear debris from the motorway and to repair the road surface and crash barrier, which were badly damaged in the crash.

Drivers are being warned to avoid the section of the M1 to the west of Northampton because of the time it will take to get things back to normal.

A diversion has been put in place, but both the A5 and A45 around Northampton are congested and so journeys were taking longer than usual.