THE M40 has reopened in Oxfordshire after a lorry overturned, spilling 28.5 tonnes of rock salt over the carriageway.
All three lanes southbound on the M40 between Junctions 9 Bicester and 8 Oxford Services were closed for much of the afternoon after the incident.
The road reopened at 6pm but one lane will remain closed overnight whilst emergency repairs are made to the barrier.
Traffic remains very slow and police have warned drivers to avoid the area.
Pic. Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue
Recovery trucks from Highways England worked to get the damaged HGV back on to its wheels and then transfer the salt out of the lorry so it could be safely removed.
The vehicle blocked all three lanes with only the hard shoulder open.
Traffic queued for four miles as a result of the closure.
All 3 lanes closed southbound M40 between junctions 9 and 8 due to overturned lorry. Load spilled on carriageway. Avoid the area if possible. Hard shoulder running only. #PC5400
— TVP Roads Policing (@tvprp) March 26, 2018
The motorway has been shut between junction 9 and 8 southbound.
#Oxfordshire The #M40 southbound, J9 - J8a, remains closed while our Traffic Officers help @tvprp deal with an overturned HGV that has blocked the road. Approx' 4 miles of queuing traffic approaching the closure at J9.
— Highways England (@HighwaysSEAST) March 26, 2018
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