M40 Junctions 7 to 9: Oxford
This stretch takes the M40 past the east side of Oxford, from Thame at Junction 7 to the A34 interchange at Junction 9. It is where the motorway turns north. Reports for these junctions are shown below.
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Latest accident or incident on the M40
The most recent accident or incident on the M40 that we are aware of.
M40 Westbound Jct 1A to M25 Clockwise and Anti-Clockwise Jct 16 Link and Slip Road Closure
03:2626 Sept 2026reported 11 min ago
- Location
- link road from M40 J1A northbound to M25 J16 anti-clockwise
- Direction
- Anticlockwise
- Lanes closed
- Carriageway closed
- Reason
- Repair work
- Schedule
- 23:00 Fri 25 Sept 2026 → 05:30 Sat 26 Sept 2026
Latest active roadworks on the M40
Roadworks live on the M40 right now.
A46 northbound from M40 Jct 15 (exit slip and roundabout) to A46 entry slip road closure
03:2626 Sept 2026reported 11 min ago
- Location
- M40 J15 southbound exit (after fast slip)
- Direction
- Northbound
- Lanes closed
- Carriageway closed
- Reason
- Roadworks
- Schedule
- 21:03 Fri 25 Sept 2026 → 06:00 Sat 26 Sept 2026
+ 1 more active roadworks - search all M40 traffic news →
Latest planned roadworks on the M40
The next planned roadworks scheduled on the M40.
M40 Southbound Jct 11 to Jct 10 lane 3 and 2 closure
03:2626 Sept 2026reported 11 min ago
- Location
- M40 southbound between J11 and J10
- Direction
- Southbound
- Lanes closed
- Lane closures
- Reason
- Maintenance work
- Schedule
- 20:00 Sat 26 Sept 2026 → 06:00 Sun 27 Sept 2026
Forecast - not confirmed
+ 21 more planned roadworks - search all M40 traffic news →
Road closed — on the overhead signs now
National Highways’ overhead signs are showing a road closure, as at 03:37 Sat 26 Sept 2026.
M40 J4-J2 CLOSED
Time now: Saturday, 26 September 2026, 03:3702:2326 Sept 2026set 1 hr ago✓ Checked by us 03:37
M40 J4-J2
CLOSEDOverhead Message
WhereM40 southbound, J12 to J5 · on 11 signsAlso onAlso showing on A43 signsSinceOn the signs since at least 22:05 Fri 25 Sept 2026We check these overhead signs at least every five minutes, but we can't guarantee a sign is still current if an incident or issue has been cleared and the sign has not been updated yet. Signs and news can each carry something the other does not - check both before you travel.
Search all the latest M40 traffic news →
Updated 03:37 Sat 26 Sept 2026
Powered by National Highways’ Transport Data Feeds.
The junctions on this stretch
- Junction 7 — the A329 for Thame and Wallingford.
- Junction 8 — the A40 for Oxford and Cheltenham, and Wheatley. The original motorway ended near here, at Great Milton, in 1974.
- Junction 8A — the A418 for Thame, Aylesbury and Oxford, and Oxford services.
- Junction 9 — the A34 for Oxford and Newbury, and the A41 for Bicester and Aylesbury.
Why this is the quietest part of the M40
At Junction 8, traffic for Oxford and Cheltenham leaves on the A40, and at Junction 9 new traffic arrives from the A34. The stretch in between carries less than anywhere else on the main line.
| Stretch | All vehicles | Lorries | Share lorries |
|---|---|---|---|
| J7 to J8 | 92,005 | 6,448 | 7.0% |
| J8 to J9 | 70,986 | 7,735 | 10.9% |
Between Junctions 8 and 9 the Department for Transport has more than one count point; we show the busier, 70,986 vehicles a day, against 69,749 at the other. Around Junction 8 it also counts the spur towards the A418 at 66,274 a day and the link to the A40 at 26,844.
The route that was moved
When the extension north from here was planned, the preferred route was changed to avoid Otmoor after a road protest in which more than 3,000 small squares of a field were sold to people around the world. The field was renamed Alice’s field, after Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.
Previous stretch: Junctions 4 to 7. Next: Junctions 9 to 11, Bicester and Banbury.
Traffic count figures on this page are from the Department for Transport road traffic statistics, 2025.