Shocking images shared on social media have shown motorists blocking access to a major accident on the M1 Southbound near Milton Keynes this evening.
The images show vehicles using the closed hard shoulder to move past traffic, and one eyewitness told us that members of the Fire and Rescue Service were forced to run along the road in front of their fire engines to direct drivers to move.
Two lanes are currently closed between J15 at Northampton and J14 at Milton Keynes because of a major accident.
Motorist Chris Pointon, who is stuck in the congestion, told MKFM: "I was sat in my car watching the fireman having to run to drivers in the outside lane, in front of the Fire Engine behind, and direct them to clear out of the way. People can't be bothered to move when there may be people who need their lives saving."
Another tweeted the local Police force to enquire as to why motorists were forcing their way out of the queuing lanes and blocking the hard shoulder in the area.
Roadworks in the affected area means that the hard shoulder is currently closed on parts of the road, which means emergency vehicles could be forced to try and make their way through full lanes of traffic in order to reach the scene of accidents.
But in some sections the hard shoulder closure is for normal road users only, with emergency vehicles still able to get past if it remains clear.
However, eyewitnesses told us that some motorists, who had been stuck for over an hour, chose to drive along the hard shoulder instead and block access for the ambulance and fire service.
