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M40 reopens after tanker spills load

Indy Almroth-WrightSouth of England
News imageNational Highways Tanker with black liquid spilling on to a motorway - and another alongside it - an edge of white and brown powder surrounds the spillNational Highways
The bitumen bonded to the road after spilling from the tanker

A stretch of the M40 in Oxfordshire has reopened after a tanker spilled bitumen on to the road.

The crash, involving the tanker and a van, happened on the southbound carriageway between junction 8A for Oxford and junction 6 for Watlington on Monday at about 19:45 GMT. National Highways said nobody was injured.

The road surface had significant damage after the leaked bitumen hardened on to the carriageway. The damaged lanes were stripped and resurfaced.

Drivers were diverted off the motorway on to the A418/A40. The section reopened at about 18:30 GMT on Tuesday.

A specialist tanker was used to transfer the remaining load of bitumen before the stricken vehicle was recovered.

News imageNational Highways Tanker with black liquid spilling on to a motorway - two highways worked stand at the back of the tanker - it is night.National Highways
The damaged lanes had to be stripped and resurfaced
News imageNational Highways White van behind a tanker in lane two of a three lane motorway following a crash. It is night. To the left several firefighters are putting up large lights.National Highways
National Highways said no injuries were reported following the crash on Monday night

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