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Roadworks and lane closures

M40

1 closure5 booked

1 closure in force on the M40 right now. National Highways has 5 closures booked in the next 24 hours, the first from 9pm tonight. Its slowest recurring hour is Fri 13:00, averaging 30 mph.

Photo: Steve Daniels, Geograph, CC BY-SA 2.0, resized

Closed right now

Closure data updated 01:38 today2026-10-22T00:38:06.184Z

M40 Southbound Jct 9 to Jct 8a, hardshoulder closure

1 lane

M40 southbound between J9 and J8A

18 Oct 2026 to 23 Oct 2026 · 1 lane closed, Road maintenance

Booked for today and tonight

Next 24 hours, UK time

UK time. Dark bar: the road is fully closed, so expect a diversion. Lighter bar: lanes or a slip road closed, the road stays open.

M40 Southbound, Jct 5 lane 1 closure on entry slip road

Booked

M40 J5 southbound exit

What: 1 lane of the slip road closed
Why: Maintenance work
When: 9pm tonight to 6am tomorrow (UK time)

M40 Southbound Jct 5 to Jct 4 hard shoulder and lane 1 and 2 closure

Booked

M40 southbound between J5 and J4

What: 2 lanes closed
Why: Maintenance work
When: 9pm tonight to 6am tomorrow (UK time)

A40 Eastbound Denham entry slip road lane 1 closure

Booked

M40 J1 southbound exit

What: 1 lane of the slip road closed
Why: Maintenance work
When: 10pm tonight to 5:30am tomorrow (UK time)

M40 Southbound Jct 5 to Jct 4 lane closure

Booked

M40 southbound between J5 and J4

What: 2 lanes closed
Why: Maintenance work
When: 10:15pm tonight to 6am tomorrow (UK time)

M40 Northbound, Jct 11 Entry slip road closure

Booked

M40 J11 northbound access

What: Slip road closed
Why: Tree and vegetation cutting
When: 10:15pm tonight to 6am tomorrow (UK time)

These are closures National Highways has scheduled, mostly overnight. Plans can change on the night, and a closure only shows above as in force once our last check has seen it set up, so one that has passed its start time may already be in place.

When the M40 is slowest

1 May 2026 to 15 June 2026

Fri 13:0030mph

52% slower than normal on this stretch · northbound · about 2,552 vehicles an hour

Measured about 800 m from junction 9, Wendlebury, in Cherwell

Fri 14:0030mph

52% slower than normal on this stretch · northbound · about 2,551 vehicles an hour

Measured about 800 m from junction 9, Wendlebury, in Cherwell

Fri 11:0030mph

51% slower than normal on this stretch · northbound · about 2,577 vehicles an hour

Measured about 800 m from junction 9, Wendlebury, in Cherwell

Fri 12:0031mph

50% slower than normal on this stretch · northbound · about 2,551 vehicles an hour

Measured about 800 m from junction 9, Wendlebury, in Cherwell

Thu 15:0032mph

48% slower than normal on this stretch · northbound · about 2,688 vehicles an hour

Measured about 800 m from junction 9, Wendlebury, in Cherwell

Thu 14:0034mph

45% slower than normal on this stretch · northbound · about 2,561 vehicles an hour

Measured about 800 m from junction 9, Wendlebury, in Cherwell

Each hour is compared with that sensor’s own free-flow speed rather than the speed limit, because some sensors sit on bends and slip roads that never reach 70 mph. Quiet hours carrying under 600 vehicles are left out, so overnight roadworks are not mistaken for congestion.

Which direction is worse

Averaged along the whole road

EastboundWorst at Tue 08:0033 mph

ClockwiseWorst at Tue 14:0048 mph

NorthboundWorst at Fri 13:0051 mph

Anti-clockwiseWorst at Tue 09:0054 mph

SouthboundWorst at Tue 08:0056 mph

Rush hour is rarely symmetrical. The commute in and the commute out peak at different times, and rarely as badly as each other. These speeds are averaged across every sensor facing that way, so they read higher than the worst-point figures above: most of the road is moving even when one junction is not.

Every hour of the week

Darker means slower

Average speed on the M40 for each hour of the week, shaded by how far below normal it runs.
Day	00	1	2	3	4	5	06	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23
Mon	Mon 00:00, 57 mph, 3% below normal	Mon 01:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Mon 02:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Mon 03:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Mon 04:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Mon 05:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Mon 06:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Mon 07:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Mon 08:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Mon 09:00, 56 mph, 5% below normal	Mon 10:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Mon 11:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Mon 12:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Mon 13:00, 56 mph, 5% below normal	Mon 14:00, 57 mph, 5% below normal	Mon 15:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Mon 16:00, 57 mph, 3% below normal	Mon 17:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Mon 18:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Mon 19:00, 59 mph, 1% below normal	Mon 20:00, 58 mph, 1% below normal	Mon 21:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Mon 22:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Mon 23:00, 56 mph, 5% below normal
Tue	Tue 00:00, 55 mph, 6% below normal	Tue 01:00, 54 mph, 8% below normal	Tue 02:00, 54 mph, 8% below normal	Tue 03:00, 55 mph, 8% below normal	Tue 04:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Tue 05:00, 58 mph, 3% below normal	Tue 06:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Tue 07:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Tue 08:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Tue 09:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Tue 10:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Tue 11:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Tue 12:00, 56 mph, 5% below normal	Tue 13:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Tue 14:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Tue 15:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Tue 16:00, 57 mph, 5% below normal	Tue 17:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Tue 18:00, 57 mph, 3% below normal	Tue 19:00, 59 mph, 1% below normal	Tue 20:00, 59 mph, 1% below normal	Tue 21:00, 57 mph, 3% below normal	Tue 22:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Tue 23:00, 54 mph, 9% below normal
Wed	Wed 00:00, 54 mph, 8% below normal	Wed 01:00, 53 mph, 10% below normal	Wed 02:00, 53 mph, 10% below normal	Wed 03:00, 53 mph, 10% below normal	Wed 04:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Wed 05:00, 57 mph, 3% below normal	Wed 06:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Wed 07:00, 56 mph, 5% below normal	Wed 08:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Wed 09:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Wed 10:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Wed 11:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Wed 12:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Wed 13:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Wed 14:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Wed 15:00, 55 mph, 6% below normal	Wed 16:00, 56 mph, 5% below normal	Wed 17:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Wed 18:00, 58 mph, 3% below normal	Wed 19:00, 59 mph, 1% below normal	Wed 20:00, 58 mph, 1% below normal	Wed 21:00, 57 mph, 3% below normal	Wed 22:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Wed 23:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal
Thu	Thu 00:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Thu 01:00, 55 mph, 8% below normal	Thu 02:00, 55 mph, 8% below normal	Thu 03:00, 54 mph, 8% below normal	Thu 04:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Thu 05:00, 57 mph, 3% below normal	Thu 06:00, 58 mph, 3% below normal	Thu 07:00, 57 mph, 5% below normal	Thu 08:00, 56 mph, 5% below normal	Thu 09:00, 56 mph, 7% below normal	Thu 10:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Thu 11:00, 55 mph, 8% below normal	Thu 12:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Thu 13:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Thu 14:00, 55 mph, 8% below normal	Thu 15:00, 54 mph, 8% below normal	Thu 16:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Thu 17:00, 56 mph, 5% below normal	Thu 18:00, 57 mph, 3% below normal	Thu 19:00, 58 mph, 1% below normal	Thu 20:00, 59 mph, 1% below normal	Thu 21:00, 57 mph, 3% below normal	Thu 22:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Thu 23:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal
Fri	Fri 00:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Fri 01:00, 54 mph, 8% below normal	Fri 02:00, 54 mph, 8% below normal	Fri 03:00, 54 mph, 8% below normal	Fri 04:00, 55 mph, 6% below normal	Fri 05:00, 57 mph, 3% below normal	Fri 06:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Fri 07:00, 57 mph, 3% below normal	Fri 08:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Fri 09:00, 56 mph, 5% below normal	Fri 10:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Fri 11:00, 55 mph, 8% below normal	Fri 12:00, 55 mph, 8% below normal	Fri 13:00, 54 mph, 9% below normal	Fri 14:00, 54 mph, 9% below normal	Fri 15:00, 54 mph, 8% below normal	Fri 16:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Fri 17:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Fri 18:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Fri 19:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Fri 20:00, 59 mph, 1% below normal	Fri 21:00, 58 mph, 3% below normal	Fri 22:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Fri 23:00, 56 mph, 5% below normal
Sat	Sat 00:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Sat 01:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Sat 02:00, 54 mph, 8% below normal	Sat 03:00, 55 mph, 7% below normal	Sat 04:00, 55 mph, 6% below normal	Sat 05:00, 57 mph, 3% below normal	Sat 06:00, 59 mph, 0% below normal	Sat 07:00, 59 mph, 0% below normal	Sat 08:00, 59 mph, 1% below normal	Sat 09:00, 58 mph, 3% below normal	Sat 10:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Sat 11:00, 56 mph, 7% below normal	Sat 12:00, 56 mph, 6% below normal	Sat 13:00, 57 mph, 3% below normal	Sat 14:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Sat 15:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Sat 16:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Sat 17:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Sat 18:00, 59 mph, 1% below normal	Sat 19:00, 59 mph, 0% below normal	Sat 20:00, 59 mph, 0% below normal	Sat 21:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Sat 22:00, 58 mph, 3% below normal	Sat 23:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal
Sun	Sun 00:00, 57 mph, 3% below normal	Sun 01:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Sun 02:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Sun 03:00, 56 mph, 5% below normal	Sun 04:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Sun 05:00, 58 mph, 1% below normal	Sun 06:00, 60 mph, -1% below normal	Sun 07:00, 60 mph, -1% below normal	Sun 08:00, 60 mph, -1% below normal	Sun 09:00, 59 mph, 1% below normal	Sun 10:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Sun 11:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Sun 12:00, 57 mph, 4% below normal	Sun 13:00, 58 mph, 3% below normal	Sun 14:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Sun 15:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Sun 16:00, 58 mph, 3% below normal	Sun 17:00, 58 mph, 3% below normal	Sun 18:00, 59 mph, 1% below normal	Sun 19:00, 59 mph, 1% below normal	Sun 20:00, 59 mph, 0% below normal	Sun 21:00, 58 mph, 2% below normal	Sun 22:00, 58 mph, 3% below normal	Sun 23:00, 57 mph, 3% below normal

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When is the best time to drive the M40?

Roads that meet the M40

Their roadworks and closures

Questions about the M40

Is the M40 closed right now?

1 closure was in force at our last check of the National Highways feed (1:38am today, UK time): M40 Southbound Jct 9 to Jct 8a, hardshoulder closure. This covers planned roadworks and lane closures, not accidents.

Is the M40 closed tonight?

National Highways has 5 closures booked on the M40 in the next 24 hours, the first from 9pm tonight: M40 Southbound, Jct 5 lane 1 closure on entry slip road; M40 Southbound Jct 5 to Jct 4 hard shoulder and lane 1 and 2 closure; and A40 Eastbound Denham entry slip road lane 1 closure, plus 2 more. Plans can change on the night.