Jackknifed lorry blocks crucial motorway used by 115,000 per day after smashing into bridge – check diversion

A MAJOR motorway used by 115,000 drivers per day has closed in one direction after a bus smashed into a bridge.

A section of southbound M20 in Kent has shut following the collision which took place in the early hours of Monday morning.

Drivers will not be able to access the road between junctions eight at Hollingbourne and nine at Ashford.

In pictures from the scene, the lorry can be seen length ways across the motorway surrounded by shrapnel.

Special equipment will be needed to clear the area, it is believed.

Motorists have been advised to instead leave the motorway at junction eight, take the third exit at the roundabout, and then the first exit onto the A20.

They should stick to that road until the junction with Fougeres Way.

Then, turn northwards towards junction nine of the M20 – at which point you can rejoin the motorway.

There is a height restriction of 4.7m (15.4ft) on this route.

National Highways has said plans they are working on clearing traffic from the area.

It comes after a pedestrian was killed on the M6 after being hit by a lorry yesterday afternoon.

Police, paramedics and an air ambulance rushed to the collision near Wigan shortly after 3pm.

The northbound carriageway was then closed off between J27 (Standish) and J28 (Leyland).

It has since reopened.

Meanwhile, in Scotland, all lanes on the A7 just north of Hawick were after two cars were involved in a crash yesterday.

Emergency services rushed to the scene – as cops urged drivers to avoid the area while they deal with the incident.