M61 Closed Southbound After Fire and Oil Spillage Near Bolton 2026

Key Points

• There has been a road closure on the M61 southbound in between junction 4 (A6) and junction 2 (M60) due to two incidents that happened at around the same time and same place.
• These incidents include an oil spill and a lorry fire, both of which happened during morning rush hour time.
• National Highways has confirmed this closure and has said that there are diversions available for motorists affected by this road closure.
• Traffic jams were reported to be around three miles long in the motorway.

Bolton (Manchester Mirror) September 24, 2026 – The M61 southbound was closed after a lorry fire and a substantial oil spillage occurred in close proximity during the morning rush hour, causing major disruption for commuters. National Highways confirmed that the motorway was shut between junction 4 (A6, near Farnworth/Westhoughton) and junction 2 (M60 interchange), with diversions implemented to reroute traffic.

As reported by a National Highways spokesperson to the Mirror,

“The M61 southbound is presently closed between junction 4 (A6) and junction 2 (M60) due to a lorry fire and oil spillage.”

Traffic monitoring data indicated queues stretching to around three miles on the affected carriageway as emergency crews worked at the scene.

The Bolton News described the situation as two separate incidents occurring “around the same time and place”, involving a vehicle fire and a significant oil spillage that together forced the closure of the southbound lanes. Early live updates from the paper noted that diversions had been put in place while the motorway remained shut during peak travel time.

Why is the M61 southbound closed between junction 4 and junction 2?

The closure was imposed to allow emergency services to deal safely with both the fire and the hazardous spillage. A lorry fire on a busy motorway presents immediate risks to other road users, while oil on the carriageway creates a severe slip hazard that can lead to further collisions if not cleaned thoroughly.

National Highways, which manages England’s strategic road network, routinely closes lanes or entire carriageways in such circumstances to protect motorists and enable safe access for fire crews, police, and specialist cleanup teams. In this case, the combination of fire and oil meant that a full southbound closure between junction 4 and junction 2 was required rather than a partial lane restriction.

Local traffic reports highlighted that the incidents occurred near Bolton and Farnworth, affecting drivers travelling from the north-west towards the M60 and central Manchester. The timing, during the morning rush hour, amplified the impact, with long queues forming on approach to the closed section.

How are drivers being diverted while the M61 southbound remains shut?

Diversions were implemented to guide southbound traffic away from the closed stretch between junction 4 and junction 2. While the exact diversion route was not fully detailed in early reports, standard practice on this section of the M61 involves routing vehicles off at junction 4 onto the A6 towards Farnworth and Bolton, then using local roads to rejoin the motorway network further south, often via the M60.

The Bolton News noted that “diversions have now been put in place as the M61 remains closed due to a lorry fire during this morning’s rush hour”, indicating that signed routes were active for motorists approaching the closure. National Highways typically coordinates with local councils and police to ensure diversion signage is in place and that key junctions are managed to prevent gridlock on surrounding roads.

Motorists were advised to check live traffic updates before travelling, as conditions on diversion routes can change quickly during major incidents. Traffic data providers and motorway camera services were updating incident information throughout the morning, reflecting the evolving situation on the M61 and nearby routes.

What have National Highways and emergency services said about the M61 incidents?

A National Highways spokesperson provided the primary official statement on the closure, confirming both the location and cause. As quoted by the Mirror, the spokesperson said

“The M61 southbound is presently closed between junction 4 (A6) and junction 2 (M60) due to a lorry fire and oil spillage.”

This statement established the dual nature of the incident and the extent of the closure.

Local live coverage by the Bolton News reinforced that the motorway “remains closed after two separate incidents occurred around the same time and place”, referring to the fire and oil spill. The paper’s live blog warned motorists of delays and confirmed that diversions were active, though it did not attribute additional direct quotes from emergency service commanders in its early updates.

Traffic monitoring services such as Inrix and other providers reported “three miles of queues” on the motorway, reflecting the scale of disruption caused by the closure during peak travel time. These third-party updates, while not official statements, help illustrate the operational impact of the incident on the network.

What is the background to this particular development on the M61?

The M61 has a history of disruption caused by vehicle fires and hazardous spillages, particularly on its southbound section between junctions 4 and 3, which serves as a key approach to the M60 and Manchester. In January 2025, for example, two southbound lanes near Bolton were closed overnight after a collision caused a lorry to shed its load, followed by a further spillage during cleanup operations.

In that earlier incident, a National Highways North West spokesperson told users on X (formerly Twitter) that “2 lanes (of 3) are closed on the #M61 southbound between J4 #Westhoughton & J3 #Kearsley following a substantial hydraulic fluid spillage from a collision”, with emergency resurfacing required. Traffic queues of around an hour were recorded during the morning rush hour, showing how quickly incidents on this stretch can cascade into wider congestion.

Vehicle fires on the M61 are not uncommon. Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and other regional fire authorities have responded to multiple motorway vehicle fires in recent years, often requiring lane or carriageway closures to ensure safety. The combination of fire and oil or hydraulic fluid is particularly disruptive because it demands both firefighting and specialist hazardous materials cleanup before the road can safely reopen.

How might this development affect regular M61 commuters and local businesses?

Regular commuters who rely on the M61 southbound to reach Manchester, the M60 orbital, and employment centres in Salford and Trafford are likely to face longer journey times whenever similar incidents occur. A closure between junction 4 and junction 2 removes a primary route for traffic coming from Chorley, Preston, and the wider north-west, forcing vehicles onto already busy local roads and the M60.

For local businesses in Bolton, Farnworth, and surrounding towns, repeated motorway disruptions can affect delivery schedules, staff punctuality, and customer access, particularly when incidents coincide with peak trading hours. The Bolton News has previously highlighted how local adverts and services depend on a steady flow of local commuters, underlining the economic importance of keeping the strategic road network moving.

In the longer term, if incidents of this type become frequent, there may be increased pressure on National Highways and local authorities to review emergency response protocols, cleanup capabilities, and possibly infrastructure improvements on high-risk sections of the M61. For now, the immediate effect is heightened caution among drivers, greater reliance on live traffic information, and an expectation of significant delays whenever fire or spillage incidents close the southbound carriageway near Bolton.