A42 chaos as lorry dumps load of glass – major delays hit Ashby de la Zouch
The southbound A42 near Ashby de la Zouch has been shut indefinitely. A lorry spilled a huge load of glass containers, causing havoc for drivers and snarling traffic for miles.
Road closure chunks traffic for miles
National Highways confirmed the full closure stretches from Junction 14 M1 link to Junction 13 at Ashby. Emergency crews are on scene clearing the mess. Traffic officers are also racing to the spot to control the snarls.
The latest update just after 6pm showed the southbound carriageway still closed, with crews working hard to clear the dangerous glass debris.
Delays ripple across nearby routes
It’s not just the A42 – one lane on the northbound side is also blocked. This has caused knock-on delays of around 15 minutes on both the M1 and A453 southbound. Congestion is creeping close to Ratcliffe-on-Soar, frustrating thousands of motorists.
Follow the Solid Diamond diversion – how to avoid the gridlock
To dodge the nightmare, drivers must follow the Solid Diamond diversion signs. Here’s the quick route to bail out of the jam:
- Exit A453 southbound at A42/A453 Finger Farm Roundabout, take first exit onto A42 south.
- Stay left and take free-flow lane onto southbound M1.
- Continue to Junction 23 on M1, then leave motorway.
- At M1 J23, take third exit onto A512 westbound.
- Drive 7.5 miles west on A512, passing through junctions to reach A42 Junction 13 at Ashby.
- At A42 J13, take first exit back onto A42 southbound.
Drivers are urged to stick to this route and allow extra travel time. Further updates on the cleanup and reopening will follow as the story develops.
