Delays on the M6 are set to continue well into the afternoon after a truck crashed and spilled its load. There’s about four miles of traffic on the approach to the scene of the crash not far from Stoke-on-Trent, which happened at around 4.30am today.
![[X (formerly Twitter)X (formerly Twitter) Network Rail Scotland (@NetworkRailSCOT) on X We?ve arrived on site between Helmsdale and Brora on the Far North Line where there?s been a landslip. The line will remain closed here until we?re able to clear the debris from the track and engineers confirm it?s safe for trains to run. @ScotRail (423 kB)]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_234620953-dbb8.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Two lanes are still closed northbound between junctions 17 and 16 while Highways England workers try to clean up the mess. Drivers in the area are facing 45-minute delays. Meanwhile on the rails, several key Scottish tracks have been flooded as the UK deals Met Office amber and yellow weather warnings for rain, wind and snow.
Scotland and large swathes of northern England are being lashed by 70mph winds today, while 70mm of rain is forecast to soak the Highlands. And strike action held by RMT members over pay will likely impact Avanti and Elizabeth line routes today. The A66, which closed at 5am today due to high winds, has now fully reopened.
It’s back up and running between the M6 for Penrith and the A1M Scotch Corner. There has been no free travel on the London Underground on New Year’s Eve or Day since 2020 – and that isn’t going to change this year. ‘TfL is not able to offer free travel on New Year’s Eve and the early hours of New Year’s Day,’ the transit authority says.
This clip from earlier today showed the water level of the River Tay, which had risen past the safe limit for trains to run. The Highland Main Line up in Scotland was forced to close, and it is still shut heading into the evening. Network Rail Scotland said: ‘We’re working on a plan for safety inspections once the floodwaters recede. We’ll share an update tomorrow on progress.’.
