A tragic overnight crash on the M40 has left two men dead and two others seriously injured, prompting a full closure of the motorway in both directions near Oxford.
Emergency services were called to the scene at around 10.41pm on Sunday night (24 March) following reports of a serious collision between junctions 9 (Bicester) and 8A (Thame/Aylesbury).
Thames Valley Police confirmed that two men died at the scene, while two other men sustained serious injuries and remain in hospital. Their conditions have not yet been updated.
The M40 remains closed in both directions while collision investigators continue their work, and National Highways has warned that the closure is likely to extend through Monday morning’s rush hour and into the afternoon.
Drivers Urged to Avoid the Area
A spokesperson for National Highways said:
“There is currently no estimate for a re-opening time. The road is expected to remain closed throughout this morning’s peak travel period and into the afternoon.”
Traffic is already building, with around four miles of congestion and delays of 30 minutes reported during rush hour.
Motorists are being diverted via the A34 southbound toward Oxford and then east via the A40 Northern Bypass Road, rejoining the M40 at Junction 8.
A second collision on the A34, between the A4183 south of Kennington and the A415, has added to the disruption, causing further delays of around 30 minutes on routes south of Oxford.
Police Appeal and Community Impact
In a statement, Thames Valley Police said:
“A full road closure is in place on the M40 in both directions between Junction 9 and Junction 8A due to a fatal road traffic collision. Two men sadly died at the scene and two men sustained serious injuries requiring hospital treatment.
We would ask the public to please avoid the area and find alternative routes while officers remain at the scene. We will provide further updates when we can.”
The force has launched an investigation and is appealing for witnesses or dashcam footage from motorists who were in the area at the time.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police via 101, quoting incident reference 43240135314.
