‘Police-led incident’ shuts major motorway with ‘negotiators’ at the scene

This is due to a police-led incident, with Devon and Cornwall Police taking control of the situation.

Motorists are facing up to 30 minutes of delays and around two miles of congestion in both directions.

Drivers in and around the Exeter area have been warned that there is “no current estimated time for reopening”.

Traffic maps estimate that traffic conditions are not expected to return to normal until around 11am, although this could be extended further.

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: “A closure is currently in place between junction 30 (for Exeter) and 31 (for Okehampton) this morning.

“Police were called at around 3.50am this morning, Monday 18 May, to reports of a concern of welfare of a female in Clyst St Mary, Exeter.

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NATIONAL HIGHWAYS

“As part of this enquiry, the female was later located on the wrong side of the railings on a bridge over the M5. Officers and police negotiators are currently at the scene and a full road closure of the M5 has been put in place as a result.”

As a result of the police-led incident, traffic is also being seen on the A30 westbound between the A375 and the junction with the M5.

To the south west of Exeter, drivers are also facing issues on the A38 eastbound between the A380 and the junction with the M5.

National Highways forecasts that normal traffic conditions will not return for around an hour and a half, with current delays of 40 minutes against expected traffic.

Slow-moving traffic is now being seen between Junction 29 of the M5 and Exeter International Airport. The transport organisation has issued several diversion routes depending on where road users are travelling from and to.

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NATIONAL HIGHWAYS

Northbound

From A38 eastbound to the M5 northbound

• Exit onto the A379 northbound. Continue north on the A379 straight across 3 roundabouts. Join the M5 northbound at J30.

From A30 eastbound to M5 northbound

• Exit A30 at Alphington Interchange onto the A377, turn right onto Marsh Barton Road. Follow Marsh Barton Road and turn right onto Trusham Road through Marsh Barton.
• Turn left onto B3123 Alphin Brook Road. At the next roundabout, turn right onto the B3123 Hennock Road Central. Continue on to B3123 Bad Hornburg Way.
• At the roundabout with the A379, take the first exit. Follow the A379 across two roundabouts. Join the M5 northbound at J30.

From A30 eastbound to A38 westbound

• Exit A30 at Alphington Interchange onto the A377, turn right onto Marsh Barton Road. Follow Marsh Barton Road and turn right onto Trusham Road through Marsh Barton. Turn left onto B3123 Alphin Brook Road.
• At the next roundabout, turn right onto the B3123 Hennock Road Central. Continue on to B3123 Bad Hornburg Way. At the roundabout with the A379, take the third exit. Follow the A379 westbound to join the A38 westbound.

From A38 eastbound to A30 westbound

• Exit onto the A379 northbound. At the first roundabout, take the second exit onto B3123 Bad Hornburg Way. Continue on to the B3123 Hennock Road Central. At the second roundabout, take the first exit onto B3123 Alphin Brook Road.
• At the next roundabout, take the second exit onto Trusham Road. Turn left onto Marsh Barton Road. Turn left onto the A377 and continue to Alphington Interchange to join the A30 westbound.

Southbound

From M5 southbound to A38 westbound

• Exit at J30 of the M5 and at the roundabout take the third exit onto the A379. Remain on the A379 to join the A38.

From M5 southbound to A30 westbound

• Exit at J30 of the M5 and at the roundabout take the third exit onto the A379. At the roundabout with the B3123, take the fourth exit onto Bad Hornburg Way. Continue on to the B3123 Hennock Road Central.
• At the second roundabout, take the first exit onto B3123 Alphin Brook Road. At the next roundabout, take the second exit onto Trusham Road.
• Turn left onto Marsh Barton Road. Turn left onto the A377 and continue to Alphington Interchange to join the A30 westbound.