Traffic on the M5 southbound near Exeter began moving again on Saturday afternoon after an oil spill at junction 31 caused major disruption and left drivers facing long queues through Devon.
Two lanes were closed earlier on the carriageway, and queues stretched back for about three miles past Exeter. National Highways said delays in the area were around one hour as motorists were held up on the approach.
By 4pm, all lane closures had been lifted and all lanes were open between J30 and J31 near Exeter. Even then, National Highways said drivers were still facing 30 minute delays and about 1 mile of congestion on the approach, showing how long the impact of the spill had lasted after the road itself reopened.
The disruption was not just from the oil on the road. National Highways said the problems also involved recovery work and an earlier accident with a lorry and two cars on the M5 southbound before J31 A38, the Okehampton turn off. At one stage, lanes 2 and 3 of 3 remained closed while contractors worked to clear the spillage, and delays reached 45 minutes with about 3 miles of congestion on the approach.
Traffic in Exeter City Centre also built up as drivers tried to avoid the motorway trouble, adding pressure to surrounding routes while crews dealt with the scene. The fact that the motorway had reopened by late afternoon did not mean the problem was over straight away; the backlog was still working its way through the network, and that is why drivers were still being warned to expect delays after the lanes were finally restored.
