Delays were building on the M61 southbound between Preston and Chorley due to a police incident.
Traffic had been halted on the approach to the Botany Bay junction on the motorway.
Delays were back from the M65 junction to Junction 8 for Chorley.
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The police incident is understood to have started around 8.30pm on Wednesday (25 February).
Eyewitnesses report vehicles have blocked the hard shoulder which is restricting emergency services ability to access the scene.
There are also delays reported on the M61 northbound on the approach to Junction 8 with tailbacks to Rivington Services.
A statement from Lancashire Police said: “We want to update you and let you know that M61 J8 is currently closed in both directions due to a concern for safety.
“We anticipate that the road will be closed for a some time, whilst we assess the situation.
“In the meantime, we’d recommend looking for an alternative route and driving carefully, leaving plenty of extra time to get to your destination.”
A police spokesperson told Blog Preston the incident had been safely resolved as of 10.15pm and both carriageways were reopened.
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