According to highways monitoring website Inrix, all traffic headed west towards Helsby, Chester and North Wales is being held at junction 12 at Runcorn to junction 14.
This means traffic is blocked up to junction 14 at Helsby/Chester Services.
A spokesman said: “M56 Westbound blocked, severe delays due to accident from J12 A557 (Runcorn) to J14 A5117 (Chester Services / Helsby).
“Congestion to J11 (Preston Brook). Traffic stopped westbound at around 7.40am, traffic also queues eastbound due to on-lookers.”
However, Google Maps’s live traffic satellite is painting a bleaker picture for drivers on Monday morning with accidents shown close to junction 15 on the eastbound carriageway.
However, the A5117 through Elton and Thornton Le Moors is currently running well.
