M5 hard shoulder misuse delayed paramedics after motorhome crash

Twenty drivers face enforcement action after using the M5 hard shoulder near Junction 12 in Gloucestershire on Sunday, 5 July 2026, while emergency crews were responding to an overturned motorhome. Their actions delayed ambulances and National Highways vehicles trying to reach people who needed medical attention, while another motorist faces prosecution for filming the crash on a phone while driving past.

The Full Story

The incident began on Sunday morning when a motorhome suffered a tyre blowout and overturned near Junction 12 of the M5. The occupants needed medical treatment, and the motorway was temporarily closed while emergency services dealt with the crash and debris was cleared from the carriageway.

During the closure, 20 motorists drove along the hard shoulder to bypass the queue. According to Gloucestershire Live's report, the vehicles blocked the route needed by paramedics and National Highways teams, delaying their arrival at the crash site.

The explanations given to police varied. Some drivers said they thought the hard shoulder had been opened as a normal lane, others said they were following the vehicles ahead, and some said they wanted to leave at the next junction. Police rejected those reasons as justification for using the emergency lane.

A separate motorist was seen filming the crash on a phone while driving past and is also being prosecuted. The Stroud News and Journal reported that the investigation remains ongoing, with all 20 hard-shoulder drivers set to face action under road traffic laws.

Central Figures

Gloucestershire Police is leading the enforcement response. Acting Sergeant Mike Turnbull of the Roads Policing Unit said the Highway Code prohibits using the hard shoulder to overtake traffic or avoid congestion, and warned that offenders can face fines, penalty points and prosecution.

Using the hard shoulder to avoid traffic is not only selfish - it’s illegal and drivers using the hard shoulder inappropriately will be prosecuted.

The people inside the overturned motorhome were the immediate concern for emergency crews. Police said they needed medical attention, making the blocked access route more than a traffic offence: it directly interfered with the response to an active emergency.

The Data

20 drivers were identified using the hard shoulder during the incident, and one additional motorist is being prosecuted for filming while driving. The motorway closure followed a single-vehicle crash caused by a tyre blowout, with the motorhome overturning near Junction 12.

Those numbers show how quickly individual decisions can combine into a serious obstruction. One vehicle entering the hard shoulder may appear isolated, but a line of 20 cars can block the very route ambulances and highway teams rely on to get around stationary traffic.

What This Means

For drivers across Britain, the case is a blunt reminder that a hard shoulder is not an escape lane when traffic stops. Police said misuse can put stationary motorists, emergency responders and pedestrians near a crash scene at risk, as well as increase the chance of another collision.

The M5 incident also shows why copying the vehicle ahead is not a safe basis for deciding whether a lane is open. Several motorists told police they had simply followed others, but the result was a growing queue in the one space emergency vehicles needed to reach injured people.

The practical effect reaches beyond those facing prosecution. When emergency access is blocked, patients may wait longer for treatment, debris may take longer to clear and a motorway closure can become harder to manage. That chain of consequences began here with drivers trying to get around congestion.

What to Expect

Police have confirmed that all 20 motorists identified using the hard shoulder will face prosecution, while the driver accused of filming the crash on a phone while moving will also be prosecuted. The investigation into the incident is continuing.

The force has also made clear that driving or stopping on the hard shoulder can lead to fines, penalty points and prosecution. No further timetable for the cases has been disclosed in the supplied reports.