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M1
🔵 Motorway

M1 Traffic News

M1 Motorway · London (Staples Corner) → Leeds (Beeston)
Road Closed ⏱ Updated 22:10

M1 traffic at 22:10 on Sunday 18 October: road closed northbound until 05:00 Mon 19 Oct · 1 live incident.

🚨 1 incident 🚧 3 roadworks · 18 soon
193 miles long
Junctions J1–J48
Regions: London, East Midlands, Yorkshire
Home › Traffic › Roads › M1

🚨 Live M1 Incidents & Roadworks

Updates every 5 min 1
🛑 ROAD CLOSED
M1 northbound Jct 11A to Jct 13 carriageway closure
Northbound · Closed until 05:00 Mon 19 Oct 7 hours
Diversion: diversion route due to carriageway - reconstruction/renewal works on behalf of National Highways
All M1 closures & diversions →
Share M1 status: 💬 📘 X
🐌 Moderate NEW 17min
M1 Northbound J10–J11A
near Luton
↑ Northbound
Reported 20:43 · 1h ago
🔨 Roadworks NEW
M1 Northbound J11A–J13
near Toddington
↑ Northbound 4 lanes closed (Hard shoulder, Lane 1, Lane 2, Lane 3)
Reported 20:58 · 1h ago
← swipe · 1 live

🌙 M1 closures tonight and the next 3 days 19

From National Highways' closure report, in their words. Times can change - check before you set off.

  • Partial closure
    Southbound M1 southbound Jct 19 exit slip road closure
    Now · until 06:00 Mon 19 Oct
    Diversion: Diversion via National Highways and local authority network.
  • Full closure
    Southbound M1 southbound Jct 30 to Jct 29 carriageway closure
    Tomorrow night · 20:00–06:00
    Diversion: Diversion via local authority network.
  • Full closure
    Southbound M1 southbound Jct 9 to Jct 8 carriageway closure
    Tomorrow night · 21:00–05:00
    Diversion: diversion route due to signs - erection works on behalf of National Highways
  • Full closure
    Southbound M1 southbound Jct 37 to Jct 36 carriageway closure
    Tomorrow night · 21:00–06:00
    Diversion: Diversion A628 A629 A616 A61 M1
  • Full closure
    Northbound M1 northbound Jct 6 to Jct 8 carriageway closure
    Tomorrow night · 22:00–05:00
    Diversion: diversion routes due to carriageway - reconstruction/renewal works on behalf of National Highways
  • Full closure
    Northbound M1 northbound Jct 18 to Jct 19 carriageway closure
    Tue 20 Oct · 20:00–06:00
    Diversion: Diversion via National Highways network and local authority network
Show all 19 closures
  • Full closure
    Northbound M1 northbound Jct 9 to Jct 11A carriageway closure
    Wed 21 Oct · 22:00–05:00
  • Partial closure
    Southbound M1 southbound Jct 30 entry slip road closure
    Tomorrow night · 20:00–06:00
    Diversion: Diversion via local authority network.
  • Partial closure
    Southbound M1 southbound Jct 29A exit slip road closure
    Tomorrow night · 20:00–06:00
    Diversion: Diversion via local authority network.
  • Partial closure
    Southbound M1 southbound Jct 29A entry slip road closure
    Tomorrow night · 20:00–06:00
    Diversion: Diversion via local authority network.
  • Partial closure
    Southbound M1 southbound Jct 29 exit slip road closure
    Tomorrow night · 20:00–06:00
    Diversion: Diversion via local authority network.
  • Partial closure
    Southbound M1 southbound Jct 24 exit slip road closure
    Tomorrow night · 20:00–06:00
    Diversion: Diversion via National Highways and local authority network.
  • Partial closure
    Northbound M1 northbound Jct 41 entry slip road closure
    Tomorrow night · 20:00–06:00
    Diversion: Diversion via M1 A638
  • Partial closure
    Southbound M1 southbound Jct 12 Toddington exit slip road closure
    Tomorrow night · 21:00–05:00
    Diversion: diversion routes due to communications works on behalf of National Highways
  • Partial closure
    Southbound M1 southbound Jct 37 entry slip road closure
    Tomorrow night · 21:00–06:00
    Diversion: Diversion A628 A629 A616 A61 M1
  • Partial closure
    Southbound M1 southbound Jct 36 exit slip road closure
    Tomorrow night · 21:00–06:00
    Diversion: Diversion A628 A629 A616 A61 M1
  • Partial closure
    Northbound M1 northbound Jct 18 entry slip road closure
    Tue 20 Oct · 20:00–06:00
    Diversion: Diversion via National Highways network and local authority network
  • Partial closure
    Northbound M1 northbound Jct 19 exit slip road closure
    Tue 20 Oct · 20:00–06:00
    Diversion: Diversion via National Highways network and local authority network
  • Partial closure
    Southbound M1 southbound Jct 12 Toddington entry slip road closure
    Wed 21 Oct · 21:00–05:00
    Diversion: diversion routes due to communications works on behalf of National Highways
All M1 roadworks & diversions →
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🗺️ M1 Traffic Map — Where It's Happening

Tap a pin for full incident detail. Live positions from National Highways.

🔢 M1 Junction Status

Tap a junction for its page

🟢 Clear · 🟡 Delays nearby · 🔴 Severe/Crash · Status labels: 💥 CRASH · ❌ CLOSED · 🐌 SLOW · 🚧 WORKS · ⚠️ HAZARD

A red or orange junction border marks a STATS19 collision blackspot. Tap any junction for its own page — live incidents and full collision history. Tap the funnel to filter the list above.

📊 How busy is the M1?

The M1 carries up to 162,446 vehicles a day at its busiest stretch (near J9), including 19,151 HGVs — the 4th busiest motorway in Britain. Official Department for Transport counts, 2025.

162,446
🚗 vehicles a day · near J9
19,151
🚛 lorries a day
2025
📅 DfT count year
11.8% HGVs
share of traffic on the busiest stretch
Busiest stretch of each motorway — vehicles a day
M25 212,636
M6 187,521
M56 179,634
M1 162,446
M8 158,065
M4 156,491
View as table
RoadBusiest stretchVehicles/dayHGVs/dayHGV share
M25 near J14 212,636 14,853 7%
M6 J20–J21 187,521 23,492 12.5%
M56 J3–J4 179,634 7,547 4.2%
M1 ◀ near J9 162,446 19,151 11.8%
M8 J16–J17 158,065 7,214 4.6%
M4 near J4 156,491 6,249 4%
Source: Department for Transport road traffic statistics, average annual daily flows 2025. Official counts, updated yearly.

📈 M1 Journey Pulse — when incidents actually happen

Measured from 549 incidents recorded on the M1 since February 2026: the riskiest window is 16:00–19:00, when 19% of incidents start. Right now (22:00) you're outside the peak window.

View as table
HourIncidentsShare
00:00–01:00 6 1.1%
01:00–02:00 4 0.7%
02:00–03:00 9 1.6%
03:00–04:00 13 2.4%
04:00–05:00 16 2.9%
05:00–06:00 16 2.9%
06:00–07:00 21 3.8%
07:00–08:00 25 4.6%
08:00–09:00 28 5.1%
09:00–10:00 28 5.1%
10:00–11:00 30 5.5%
11:00–12:00 24 4.4%
12:00–13:00 28 5.1%
13:00–14:00 32 5.8%
14:00–15:00 36 6.6%
15:00–16:00 30 5.5%
16:00–17:00 ◀ peak 39 7.1%
17:00–18:00 ◀ peak 28 5.1%
18:00–19:00 ◀ peak 39 7.1%
19:00–20:00 31 5.6%
20:00–21:00 15 2.7%
21:00–22:00 32 5.8%
22:00–23:00 14 2.6%
23:00–00:00 5 0.9%
Measured from 549 incidents recorded by this site since February 2026 (planned roadworks excluded). Recomputed nightly from our incident archive.

🧭 Along the M1

🏟️
Wembley Stadium
Signed from the M1's southern end, just off the A406
✈️J10
Luton Airport
Leave at J10 and follow A1081 Airport Way
⛽J16–J17
Watford Gap
Opened with the M1 in 1959 — joint-first UK motorway services
🔀J19
Catthorpe Interchange
Where the M1, M6 and A14 all meet
✈️J23A–J24
East Midlands Airport
Direct access from J23A and J24
🛍️J34
Meadowhall
Sheffield — J34 is the Meadowhall Interchange
🌉J34
Tinsley Viaduct
UK's first two-tier road bridge (1968) — M1 rides the top deck

📍 Heading to… off the M1

The places people drive to most, the M1 junction for each, and live M1 incidents nearby at 22:10.

Attraction

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

Leavesden, Hertfordshire
🛣️ M1 junction: J6a
✅ No M1 incidents reported within 3 miles

Harry Potter studio tour; free parking, booking confirmation needed at the gate

Zoo & wildlife

ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

Whipsnade, Bedfordshire
🛣️ M1 junction: J9, J12
✅ No M1 incidents reported within 3 miles

UK's largest zoo (600 acres); you can drive in for an extra charge

Zoo & wildlife

Woburn Safari Park

Woburn, Bedfordshire
🛣️ M1 junction: J13
✅ No M1 incidents reported within 3 miles

Drive-through safari park; satnav postcode MK43 0TU is the Ridgmont gate

Stadium

cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens

Northampton, Northamptonshire
🛣️ M1 junction: J15a/J16
✅ No M1 incidents reported within 3 miles

Northampton Saints; heavy traffic before kick-off and after the final whistle

Motorsport

Donington Park

Castle Donington, Leicestershire
🛣️ M1 junction: J23a/J24
✅ No M1 incidents reported within 3 miles

Capacity 120,000; entrance on Melbourne Lane off the A453

Stadium

Pride Park Stadium

Derby, Derbyshire
🛣️ M1 junction: J25
✅ No M1 incidents reported within 3 miles

Derby County's 33,597-seat ground; matchday road closures may apply

Shopping

East Midlands Designer Outlet

South Normanton, Derbyshire
🛣️ M1 junction: J28
✅ No M1 incidents reported within 3 miles

McArthurGlen outlet just off M1 junction 28 at South Normanton

Theme park

Gulliver's Kingdom

Matlock Bath, Derbyshire
🛣️ M1 junction: J28
✅ No M1 incidents reported within 3 miles

Family theme park in Matlock Bath, open March to November

Heritage

Chatsworth House

Bakewell, Derbyshire
🛣️ M1 junction: J29
✅ No M1 incidents reported within 3 miles

Public entrance on the B6012; Baslow Golden Gates are not for general access

Racecourse

Doncaster Racecourse

Doncaster, South Yorkshire
🛣️ M1 junction: J32
✅ No M1 incidents reported within 3 miles

Home of the St Leger; four-day St Leger Festival every September

Events venue

Utilita Arena Sheffield

Sheffield, South Yorkshire
🛣️ M1 junction: J33, J34
✅ No M1 incidents reported within 3 miles

13,600-capacity concert arena with parking for around 1,200 cars

Shopping

Meadowhall

Sheffield, South Yorkshire
🛣️ M1 junction: J34
✅ No M1 incidents reported within 3 miles

Over 280 stores and about 30m visitors a year, right at M1 junction 34

Stadium

Hillsborough Stadium

Sheffield, South Yorkshire
🛣️ M1 junction: J36
✅ No M1 incidents reported within 3 miles

Sheffield Wednesday's ground, backing onto the A61 Penistone Road

Airport

East Midlands Airport

Castle Donington, Leicestershire
🛣️ Via the M1
✅ No M1 incidents reported within 3 miles

About 3.2 million passengers in 2022; a few minutes' drive from the M1

Motorsport

Silverstone Circuit

Silverstone, Northamptonshire
🛣️ Via the M1
✅ No M1 incidents reported within 3 miles

Capacity 175,000; A43 roadworks Towcester–Silverstone may add time

⚠️ Most Dangerous M1 Junctions

Based on DfT STATS19 police collision records. The M1 has 2,201 recorded collisions at 54 collision hotspots, involving 3,478 casualties (55 fatal). Take extra care here. Ranked by fatal, then serious collisions, then casualties - not by the number of collisions alone.

#1
J16
62 collisions · 110 casualties · 6 fatal · 7 serious
Severe Blackspot
#2
J13
70 collisions · 117 casualties · 4 fatal · 13 serious
Severe Blackspot
#3
J14
74 collisions · 118 casualties · 3 fatal · 11 serious
Severe Blackspot
#4
J20
35 collisions · 61 casualties · 3 fatal · 9 serious
Severe Blackspot
#5
J15A
48 collisions · 71 casualties · 3 fatal · 6 serious
Severe Blackspot
#6
J6A
99 collisions · 176 casualties · 2 fatal · 19 serious
Severe Blackspot
🔍 See the full M1 collision blackspot map →

🛒 Journey Essentials

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❓ M1 Traffic — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the M1 closed today?

Yes — the M1 is closed right now: M1 northbound Jct 11A to Jct 13 carriageway closure, until 05:00 Mon 19 Oct.

Is there traffic on the M1 today?

The M1 is closed right now: M1 northbound Jct 11A to Jct 13 carriageway closure, until 05:00 Mon 19 Oct. Check the live feed above for every closure on the route.

What is the worst time to use the M1?

The M1 is typically busiest during morning rush hour (07:00–09:00) and evening rush hour (17:00–19:00) on weekdays.

Are there roadworks on the M1 right now?

There are currently 3 active roadwork schemes on the M1. Check the live feed above for exact locations and durations.

What roads connect to the M1?

The M1 connects to: M25, M45, A14, M6, A38(M), M62, A1(M).

Is there an accident on the M1 northbound or southbound today?

Each side has its own live page: the M1 northbound (towards Leeds) and the M1 southbound (towards London) each list every accident, breakdown, closure and roadworks on that carriageway, updated every 5 minutes, 24 hours a day, from National Highways. The panel at the top of this page shows both sides at a glance.

How many vehicles use the M1 every day?

Official Department for Transport counts (2025) record 162,446 vehicles a day on the M1's busiest stretch (near J9), 19,151 of them HGVs. The full breakdown and comparison chart are in the traffic statistics section above.

How busy is the M1 compared with other motorways?

The M1 has the 4th busiest motorway stretch in Britain at 162,446 vehicles a day (DfT 2025), behind the M25's 212,636 a day at the top.

What time of day is the M1 worst for incidents?

Measured from 549 incidents recorded on the M1 since February 2026, the riskiest window is 16:00–19:00, when 19% of incidents start. The quietest is 23:00–02:00. Incidents on the M1 typically clear in about 68 minutes.

Which airports are on the M1?

Two airports are directly served by the M1: London Luton Airport from junction 10 (via the A1081 Airport Way) and East Midlands Airport from junctions 23A and 24.

📊 M1 Status Summary

1
Active incidents
0
Severe/serious
3
Roadworks
22:10
Last updated
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ℹ️ M1 Road Details

Length
193 miles
Junctions
J1–J48
From
London (Staples Corner)
To
Leeds (Beeston)
Type
Motorway
AM Rush
07:00–09:00
PM Rush
17:00–19:00

📍 Key M1 Locations

London Luton Milton Keynes Northampton Leicester Nottingham Sheffield Leeds

Junction

DfT STATS19 police collision records

0
Collisions
0
Fatal
0
Serious
0
Slight
🔍 Full blackspot map →
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🚛 Car recovery along the M1

Broken down on the M1? Pick the nearest town and call a local firm direct:

On a motorway? If you can, get onto the hard shoulder or into an emergency area, leave by the left-hand doors and wait behind the barrier. Stuck in a live lane: stay in the car with your seatbelt on and hazard lights on, and call 999.