The collision happened on the southbound carriageway between Junction 6 for Lewknor and Junction 5 for Watlington in the late morning on Saturday, August 29.

The emergency services attended the scene and closed the road,

National Highways said lanes two and three of the three-lane motorway were shut as a result while crews dealt with the incident, leading to delays of around 40 minutes.

Congestion was worsened by separate lane closures between Junctions 4 and 5 in both directions following damage to the central reservation from an earlier incident.

Traffic built up on approaches to the crash, with nearby areas including Stokenchurch and Lewknor also affected.

Images from traffic cameras showed long queues of vehicles and emergency workers at the scene throughout the afternoon.

AA Travel also reported that one lane was closed on the northbound carriageway between Handy Cross and Stokenchurch due to emergency repairs.

National Highways later confirmed that all southbound lanes between Junctions 6 and 5 had reopened and that the lane closures linked to the earlier incident were also being removed.

Despite the reopening, delays of around 40 minutes remained on the approach as traffic slowly returned to normal.

The closure affects the route between the A420 and Coxwell Road near Great Coxwell to allow for carriageway widening and the construction of a new signal-controlled junction.

The closure, in effect 24 hours a day, will begin on September 7, 2026, and is expected to remain in place until April 16, 2027.

An alternative route will be signposted via the A420, London Street, Coxwell Street, and Coxwell Road.

The order, issued by Oxfordshire County Council under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, will remain in force for up to 18 months if necessary.

Exemptions are included for emergency vehicles, and signage will be in place to advise drivers of the closure.