M6 closed near Stafford for 11 hours after man seriously injured in motorway crash
A man suffered severe injuries after a collision on the M6 which shut the motorway for 11 hours.
Motorists faced long delays in the morning rush hour after the incident reportedly involving a van, three cars and a pedestrian.
It happened just to the south of junction 13 close to Cannock and affected both carriageways.
Emergency services were sent to the motorway after a 999 call at 11.20pm on Sunday.
West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman Murray MacGregor said: “On arrival, ambulance staff found a man who had suffered very significant injuries.
"The exact circumstances of what had happened were not clear."
He was anaesthetised at scene before being taken to the major trauma centre at Royal Stoke University Hospital in a critical condition.
The incident closed the motorway between junction 14 for Stafford North and junction 12 at Gailey.
Officers from Central Motorway Police Group are investigating and the route remained partially closed on the southbound carriageway into the morning.
Drivers and motorcyclists were advised to avoid the area and a diversion was in place.
The northbound section reopened in the early hours. But the southbound route remained closed until 10.20am on Monday.
Highways England said: "The last of the trapped traffic caught within the closure is now being released past the scene on the M6 southbound between J14 and J13.
"Thanks for your continued patience if you were caught within the closure overnight. We appreciate it has been a challenging situation."
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Motorists were advised traffic approaching junction 14 may exit the motorway and join the A34 eastbound, and follow the hollow black square diversion symbol.
Highways England said traffic should then continue on the A449 southbound through Stafford, towards junction 13 and re-join the M6 southbound.
Traffic was also queuing around the link for junction 1 of the M54.
On the M6 northbound between junction 12 and 13, lanes 3 and 4 was closed due to a broken down vehicle.
This has now been cleared, say Highways England.
In a separate incident, one lane was also closed near junction 6 for the Aston Expressway at Spaghetti Junction.
This is caused traffic to queue back through Great Barr towards junction 9 at Wednesbury.
There was a second collision involving two lorries which blocked the carriageway between junction 17 and 16.
