THE M40 northbound has now reopened after this morning's fatal collision involving more than 40 vehicles. 

Police have confirmed a man died in the crash near Bicester and more than 60 others were involved. 

Oxford Mail:

The man died at the scene, another person has life-threatening injuries, six people are seriously injured and up to 49 others have minor injuries, Thames Valley Police said.

Six people with serious injuries were taken to Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital and those with minor injuries were taken to the Horton Hospital in Banbury. 

Oxford Mail:

  • Picture courtesy of Thames Valley Police 

Chief Inspector Henry Parsons of Thames Valley Police Roads Policing said: "The cause of this collision is under investigation, however, we believe that fog played a major part.

listen to ‘Oxford Mail talk about M40 crash police press conference’ on Audioboom

"This has been an extraordinarily large collision, we have not had a collision on this scale for many years in Thames Valley and one man has sadly lost his life.

"We are working as quickly as possible to clear the area and get the traffic moving again. I would like to thank the public for their patience while we undertake our important investigative work before a full reopening of the road is possible.

"Should anyone have concerns about friends or relatives who may have been travelling on the M40 this morning, then they can call our non-emergency number 101 for assistance."

Oxford Mail:

The northbound carriageway was closed between junctions 9 and 10 for a number of hours after the crash which happened shortly before 8am. 

Oxford Mail:

  • Zara Smith tweeted this picture showing the foggy conditions on the M40 

The southbound carriageway is open but restrictions are in place so the force warned people to expect delays.

SCAS spokeswoman Catherine Morrow said she believed thick fog on the road this morning may have been a contributory factor in the scale of the accident.

She said their helicopter was on scene and neighbouring ambulance services have also been called in to help: "Two patients have been taken to hospital and we are treating in excess of 35 at the scene."

Oxford Mail:

  • Many walking wounded were treated at the scene on the M40 

Insp Daren Courtenay, from the Joint Operations Unit for Roads Policing, said: "Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of the man who died at the scene and specially-trained officers are supporting his relatives at this time.

"An investigation in to the cause of the collision is ongoing. The scene officers were faced with was complex and required a large amount of investigation, of working with partner agencies to ensure those involved received the appropriate medical treatment, and the subsequent recovery of the vehicles involved.

"I would like to thank motorists for their patience while the section of the M40 was closed."

Oxford Mail:

  • Davy Clarke took this picture of emergency services near the scene of the fatal collision 

Motorist Zara Smith got stuck in traffic on the northbound carriageway at 8am just minutes after the accident happened.

Oxford Mail:

  • Zara Smith took this picture showing the foggy conditions on the M40 

Miss Smith, 31, who was driving from her home in Croydon to visit family in Stockport, said: “When we were at a standstill we couldn’t see anything, it was just thick dense fog.”

At 9.30am she said police managed to redirect some cars, including hers, off the motorway on a slip road.

She said: “When we turned to go up the slip road we could just see complete and utter carnage about a mile down the road.

“There was definitely a lorry jack-knifed across the road, it looked like a sea of metal.”

She said she counted 13 ambulances and ten fire engines.

Oxford Mail:

  • A number of lorries appeared to have been involved in the crash 

Davy Clarke was heading southbound. He said: "Basically, several lorries, a couple of coaches and cars. Behind screens now."

Oxford Mail:

  • Only one lane was open southbound as emergency services dealt with the recovery of more than 40 vehicles

Roads in and around Bicester were gridlocked with traffic diverted from this morning’s accident scene on the M40. 

Chesterton Parish Council clerk Vic Keeble said he drove into Bicester this afternoon on the A41 and it was “horrendous”.

And the  A430 through Weston on the Green is also “nose to tail”, he said.

Mr Keeble said: "It’s such a shame. I can’t think of an accident that was worse than this in Oxfordshire."

Traffic on the M40 is queuing for several miles in both directions approaching the scene of the crash near Little Chesterton between junctions 9 and 10 on the motorway.

Mr Keeble said he drove to an M40 flyover just north of the accident scene, and the northbound carriageway was completely empty, while the southbound was at a virtual standstill as far as he could see.

Oxford Mail:

  • Police said it was a very complex investigation but that fog would play a big part in their inquiry

Oxford University Hospitals Trust spokeswoman Melanie Proudfoot said five victims of the accident had been admitted to A&E at the John Radcliffe hospital, Oxford this morning.

Oxford Mail:

  • Andrew Browett took this picture of traffic backed up on the M40

Police spokeswoman Hannah Williams confirmed shortly after 10am that one person had died. 

Oxford Mail:

Ardley parish councillor Ian Corkin said an emergency centre had been set up in the village hall.

He said: "As part of the Oxfordshire emergency planning team we were helping people by providing hot food and hot drinks as well making wifi and phone charges available so they could get in touch with their relatives.

"We were also here to speak to the people who were shocked and wanted to talk about their experience.

"A lot of people didn’t know where they were because they just got on a coach and were taken here.

"About 50 people 12 volunteers came down to help out. The atmosphere was very quiet and some people were very traumatised by their experience."

@SuePaz1 @martinstanford lots of people were walking around but the police are working hard to turn us round pic.twitter.com/NqiFoviaL1