M5 reopens near Bristol after police incident
Traffic cameras earlier revealed long queues of vehicles
Last updated 30th Jan 2026
The M5 has reopened near Bristol almost 6 hours after it was closed in both directions to allow police to respond to a 'welfare incident'.
The motorway was shut around lunchtime on Friday, between junction 18, for Avonmouth, and 19, for Gordano Services.
Traffic cameras revealed long queues of traffic in both directions, with queues of over 90 minutes reported.
Police say the incident has come to a safe conclusion.
Earlier, Bristol Airport warned passengers travelling to the airport to allow extra time for their journeys and seek alternative routes.
The congestion caused knock-on delays on other neighbouring roads.
While the motorway has no reopened, drivers are still being warned about delays as things get back to normal.