Travellers were today stuck in 17-mile tailbacks as a lorry burst into flames on an M6 sliproad. They were from Spaghetti Junction to Hilton Park Services.

People travelling southwere stopped from getting off at junction 6 due to the fire at about 6.30am, leading to a build-up of traffic.

Highways Agency spokeswoman Fillipa St Aubin d’Ancey, said: “The lorry fire happened underneath Spaghetti junction on the sliproad leading into the city centre.

“This caused congestion on both north and southbound exits from the M6.

“Although traffic going into the city centre could go past the fire, the exit at junction 6 in from the M6 southbound carriageway had to be completely closed.”

The sliproad was closed for about three hours before reopening at 9.15am.

Firefighters tackled the fire for about an hour-and-a-half. The driver got out safely.

There were traffic jams as a section of the M54 was closed at junction 2 after a motorcyclist was airlifted to hospital after falling off his bike between junction 3, at Albrighton, and junction 4, at Shifnal, at about 4.30pm yesterday.