The crash happened on the northbound carriageway of the M11 in Essex
Motorists faced delays stretching for miles after a multiple vehicle crash on the M11 near Stansted Airport.
Police said three cars were involved in the accident shortly after 10.30am today, with fire engines pictured blocking off the busy trunk road.
No-one is thought to have been seriously injured in the crash, and the vehicles involved have now been recovered from the hard shoulder.
All lanes of the busy motorway in the northbound carriageway had to be closed while emergency services responded to the crash.
The road was able to open up lane by lane to be fully opened around an hour later, though drivers were still warned of 45 minute tailbacks as the delays cleared.
Traffic was expected to be back to normal by 12.30pm.
The three vehicles involved were recovered from the hard shoulder (Picture: National Highways)
A National Highways spokesperson said earlier: ‘Lanes 2 and 3 are closed on the M11 northbound between J7a near Harlow and J8 Stansted Airport due to a multi-vehicle collision.
‘There are currently delays of 30 mins and approx. 2 miles of congestion.’
Inrix, a site monitoring road traffic, said: ‘All traffic being temporarily held and queueing traffic due to accident, multiple vehicles involved on M11 Northbound at J7A A1025 (Harlow North).’
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