M6 shut in 'police-led incident' (From Witney Gazette)

M6 shut in 'police-led incident'

10:23am Thursday 5th July 2012 in National News © Press Association 2013

The M6 toll motorway has been shut following a "police-led incident".

Police closed off the road, near Birmingham, between junctions three and four in both directions, the Highways Agency said.

A spokeswoman said: "There is a police-led incident on the M6 toll between T3 and T4, in both directions."

A spokeswoman for Staffordshire Police said: "There is currently an ongoing incident on the M6 Toll at Weeford, near Lichfield. Both lanes of the toll road have been closed while police deal with the incident."

It is understood the incident involved a coach which pulled over on to the hard shoulder of the motorway of its own volition. Reports have suggested armed officers are involved. Staffordshire police said they were called at 8.20am.

The incident is not thought to be linked to the arrests of six people in London as part of a pre-planned counter terrorism operation.

The intercepted coach was a Megabus, a spokeswoman for the company said. It was heading south on the M6 toll road when it was stopped. A spokeswoman for Megabus, which is operated by Stagecoach, said: "We are assisting police with their inquiries into an allegation made against a passenger who was travelling on board one of our services."

The coach was travelling from Preston to London.

Armed police officers could be seen positioned next to the single-decker coach on the south-bound carriageway, as passengers were led off the vehicle one by one.

A number of emergency service vehicles were parked at the toll plaza, about 200 metres from the coach. Seven police vans arrived at the scene shortly before 11am.