A collision between a car and a tanker transporting bitumen has forced the closure of the M40 southbound in Oxfordshire since Monday evening.
The incident occurred at approximately 7:45pm last night between junction 8A near Oxford and junction 6 at Watlington, with the southbound route subsequently closed to drivers.
Whilst no injuries were reported in the crash, the tanker suffered damage that resulted in a substantial bitumen spillage across the carriageway.
Emergency services immediately responded to the scene alongside specialist teams from National Highways to contain the hazardous material.
But as a result of the incident, the motorway has remained shut throughout the night as crews worked to address the spillage and prepare for the tanker's removal.
Efforts to remove the damaged tanker have encountered significant setbacks. A replacement tanker and a specialist recovery team reached the location at approximately 3:40am to transfer the remaining bitumen cargo.
However, the replacement vehicle proved unable to extract the contents from the damaged tanker, halting recovery operations entirely.
This technical failure has left the original tanker stranded on the carriageway, blocking multiple lanes.
The incident occurred last night at roughly 7:45pm when a car hit the tanker
|NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
National Highways has confirmed that arrangements are being made to secure another tanker capable of completing the pumping operation.
Until this equipment arrives and successfully transfers the bitumen load, the damaged vehicle cannot be moved from the motorway.
Highway engineers have determined that the bitumen spill has caused extensive damage to the road surface. The material has solidified on the carriageway, making standard cleaning methods insufficient for restoration.
National Highways warned that the affected lanes require complete planing and resurfacing operations. This extensive repair work can only be carried out safely while the motorway remains fully closed to traffic.
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The agency warned that closures will remain in place until the substance has been removed from the road
|NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
The bitumen has hardened on the road with National Highways needing to remove it completely before reopening
|NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
Full overnight closures will resume for emergency resurfacing work. Travellers are advised to allow extra journey time or consider delaying non-essential trips.
Updating drivers, National Highways shared: "The M40 southbound remains closed between J8A in Oxford and J6 in Watlington following an earlier collision.
Recovery is in progress and resurfacing will be required. The road is likely to remain closed for several more hours."