Several people have been injured in a multi vehicle collision on the M1 northbound this morning.
Six cars and one motorbike were involved in the collision that caused a full closure of the northbound M1, between junctions 9 and 13.
Police were called to the collision, close to junction 12, shortly after 5.30am.
All lanes had reopened by 3pm, after officers spent several hours investigating.
A spokesperson for The Highways Agency said: “We have worked hard to have the road open as quickly as possible, but there are still minor delays in the area.”
Five ambulances, two paramedic officers and a hazardous area response team attended the scene and treated six casualties, a number of them were taken to the Luton and Dunstable hospital.
A spokesperson for the East of England Ambulance service said: “We took six people to the Luton and Dunstable hospital, they were seriously injured and three were elderly.”
Five fire crews and a rescue vehicle were also at the scene before 6am.
A spokesperson for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue service said: “Fire officers released three men and two women that were trapped in vehicles.”
Motorists were diverted from junction 9 and the motorway reopened at junction 13.
On Twitter, Ste Collins (@stecollins7) said: “Awful crash on the M1 northbound, you know it’s bad when they are turning cars round and sending them back south but on the northbound side.”
Phoebe Mills (@phoebemills1) said on Twitter: “It just took me 3hours 10 to get from Luton to Dunstable.. Oh how I love the m1.”