The M56 motorway is closed in both directions between junction 11 Preston Brook and junction 14 Helsby due to an overturned tanker.
Cheshire police has declared a major incident and a 1,800-metre cordon is in place.
Emergency services are now awaiting test results to identify a substance leaking from the tanker.
Luckily based on most reports, it seems the driver got out fairly uninjured - cuts from breaking out the windscreen according to some.
There still seems to be a lot of confusion as to what the tanker was carrying with the police stating for a long time they didn’t know. That appears a bit strange as I thought they all had an identity plate on all sides giving the product ID and an emergency number, although on the pics I’ve seen there didn’t seem to be one on the back. Seems to rather defeat the point when you can’t tell what you’re dealing with as it’s presumably labelled on the side.
Last report I saw said opening time was est 1am but I guess it depends when they manage to clean everything up and make sure it doesn’t go down the drains.
Talking about 6am tomorrow now possibly and some dickrash 
has crashed further up stopping reverse flow of trapped vehicles.
manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ … h-10298846
trevHCS:
Luckily based on most reports, it seems the driver got out fairly uninjured - cuts from breaking out the windscreen according to some.There still seems to be a lot of confusion as to what the tanker was carrying with the police stating for a long time they didn’t know. That appears a bit strange as I thought they all had an identity plate on all sides giving the product ID and an emergency number, although on the pics I’ve seen there didn’t seem to be one on the back. Seems to rather defeat the point when you can’t tell what you’re dealing with as it’s presumably labelled on the side.
Last report I saw said opening time was est 1am but I guess it depends when they manage to clean everything up and make sure it doesn’t go down the drains.
There are labels on the back of it. I used to work for the company whose wagon it is. It had loaded a product called scavtreat which is un 2810. For some reason it’s now classed as toxic but go back 2 years it was non hazardous. First time I loaded it I had my face mask ready and was told not to bother as it won’t affect me. I’ve had my head over the open lid whilst it’s been loading with no affects.
whose truck is it
People have been stuck in this for 4/5 hours, police still won’t estimate a reopening. Manchester Airport have put out a tweet saying it won’t be open till noon tomorrow 
Whatever firm it is, if their driver was at fault I wouldn’t like to estimate the clean up bill coming the way of their insurers. Network Rail will probably weigh in with a fine for the precautionary delay to train services as well.
I got stuck just behind the incident, a quick hour or so later and just able to clear the bridge at Frodsham I was on my way, the crux was getting from my drop back to Haydock, the mersey tunnel was a tad busy.
rob22888:
People have been stuck in this for 4/5 hours, police still won’t estimate a reopening. Manchester Airport have put out a tweet saying it won’t be open till noon tomorrowWhatever firm it is, if their driver was at fault I wouldn’t like to estimate the clean up bill coming the way of their insurers. Network Rail will probably weigh in with a fine for the precautionary delay to train services as well.
Agency driver … Pass the buck
thetastytrucker:
rob22888:
People have been stuck in this for 4/5 hours, police still won’t estimate a reopening. Manchester Airport have put out a tweet saying it won’t be open till noon tomorrowWhatever firm it is, if their driver was at fault I wouldn’t like to estimate the clean up bill coming the way of their insurers. Network Rail will probably weigh in with a fine for the precautionary delay to train services as well.
Agency driver … Pass the buck
Not agency. Only met him once as he’d joined after I left but he seemed alright. Plenty of experience including working on tanks. Don’t know the circumstances yet so won’t comment on blame but there will be a massive bill heading in someone’s direction very soon.
lee mat:
whose truck is it
most likely the insurance companies by now,or…the recovery pirate thatl have it in the compound till somebody pays for the uplift,
All open again a little earlier.
The picture of the truck on its side with the cargo spilling out of the lid is shocking - surely the lid shouldn’t have popped open like that? I would guess there’ll be some questions asked about that.
How will they turn traffic around f there’s a solid concrete central res?
Pimpdaddy:
How will they turn traffic around f there’s a solid concrete central res?
In the concrete central res, they fit “gates” that can be opened. This all depends on a number of factors though, ie. distance between junctions / average number of vehicles using that stretch of road / bridge structures, plus other factors, but even opening those is a major labour consuming job, with traffic management / lane closures / equipment, not forgetting actually getting to the scene with all the stopped traffic blocking everything up…
Pimpdaddy:
How will they turn traffic around f there’s a solid concrete central res?
I imagine that they’d do it the same way as if it were an old style steel barrier; ie close the road prior to the last exit and then turn the traffic around on the carriageway and send 'em back up the “wrong” way and off at the on slip. I’ve done just that a few times over the years.