M4, M5 and M32 traffic live - latest as summer getaway begins after fuel protests in the South West

Delays are expected across the South West - with protests planned for the M4, M5 and M32

There are delays on the South West's major roads and motorways today as the summer holidays begin.

There are severe delays on the M5 in Gloucestershire, the M4 and the M32 in Bristol.

It comes after a morning of delays on the M5 due to protests about the rising cost of petrol.

Scroll down for the latest updates for the M4, M5, M32 and major A roads in the South West...

  • 'Fair play' or 'it's made me late for an appointment' - drivers react to fuel protests

The first slow-moving protest started on the M5 at Bridgwater, with lorries going northbound to the Almondsbury Interchange.

The convoy then got off the motorway before rejoining around 30 minutes later and heading southbound to Taunton.

Traffic coped well throughout the protests, but it did cause minor delays until around noon.

Protesters also targeted the Shell garage in Bridgwater, blocking the entrance to the forecourt. A small protest though at the nearby Esso garage in Bridgwater is now taking place.

Protests are blocking the entrance of the Shell garage in Bristol Road, Bridgwater. Credit: ITV

Delays began to build on motorways again at around 2pm, largely due to holiday traffic.

M5

The worst of the delays in the region at the moment are on the M5 southbound. Patchy queues of traffic are starting at J16 for Aztec West and not easing until J22 for Burnham-on-Sea. Traffic monitoring site Inrix is reporting a travel time of around 40 minutes.

There are patches where the congestion eases, with the stretch between J19 for Gordano and J20 for Clevedon particularly bad.

One lane is also closed, causing heavy traffic, due to a vehicle having a tyre changed on the M5 southbound between J21 for Weston-super-Mare and J22 for Burnham-on-Sea.

There is also a lane closed on the M5 northbound exit slip road at J11 for the A40 (Gloucester/Golden Valley Bypass) due to a broken-down vehicle.

M4

There are long delays and queueing traffic on the M4 Westbound at J20 for the Almondsbury Interchange. Congestion is going to halfway past J19 for the M32. Travel time is 35 minutes.

M32

The M32 heading into Bristol is severely congested, with around 20 minutes of delays at junction 3 for Lower Ashley Road.

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