Drivers on the M56 faced severe delays on Monday after a crash near Warrington left traffic held and emergency crews working at the scene. The collision happened westbound between junction 10 for Stretton and junction 9 for Lymm and the M6 around 5.30pm.
Highways said emergency services were on their way and traffic had been held eastbound as a number of vehicles were involved. Four miles of queues were reported, with delays stretching past 30 minutes.
Cheshire Fire Service said the crash involved four vehicles, including a lorry, and that the road was closed while paramedics and fire crews dealt with five casualties. One person was cut out of their vehicle before being treated by the ambulance service.
The M56 is a major motorway route near Warrington, and the disruption on Monday evening brought both the usual commuter traffic and the emergency response to a halt. National Highways: North-West later posted on May 18, 2026 that traffic was being held on the M56 eastbound near Warrington between J10 and J9 because of a multiple vehicle collision, with delays still in excess of 30 minutes and four miles of congestion on the approach.
The details leave little room for doubt about the scale of the incident: a busy stretch of motorway was shut down, five people needed treatment and the queue quickly spread for miles. For drivers, the immediate question was how long the hold would last; the answer was already clear in the warnings — the delay was measured in tens of minutes, not a few extra lights in traffic.
