Key Points
- Two people have been taken to hospital after a head-on collision between a truck and another vehicle on the A1307 near Cambridge.
- The crash happened on the A1307 Babraham Road between Babraham village and the Babraham Research Campus, a key route into Cambridge.
- Cambridgeshire Police said they were called to the scene at about 05:25 GMT on Friday, 20 February 2026.
- The collision involved a truck and another vehicle in a head-on impact, leading to a full closure of the westbound carriageway towards Cambridge.
- The two injured people were taken to hospital by ambulance; their conditions have not yet been disclosed by the authorities.
- Emergency services, including police and paramedics, attended the scene and remain on site while investigations continue.
- Police and highways teams warned that the westbound side of the A1307 would remain closed for several hours through the morning, causing significant disruption to rush-hour traffic into Cambridge.
- Drivers have been urged to avoid the area and use alternative routes while collision investigation work and vehicle recovery take place.
- The A1307 Babraham Road is a busy commuter route linking the A11, Babraham and the Babraham Research Campus with Cambridge, and has seen previous serious collisions on stretches of major roads in Cambridgeshire in recent weeks.
- Cambridgeshire Police have appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage from anyone who was travelling on the A1307 around the time of the crash.
- Local authorities and road operators have said the carriageway will reopen only once collision investigators have completed their work and the scene has been cleared.
Cambridge (Cambridge Tribune) February 20, 2026 – Two people have been taken to hospital after a head-on crash between a truck and another vehicle that closed a major route into Cambridge in the early hours of Friday morning, prompting a significant emergency response and causing long delays for commuters.
What do we know about the A1307 head-on crash near Cambridge?
According to reporting by BBC News, Cambridgeshire Police said they were called at 05:25 GMT to a “head-on collision between a truck and another vehicle” on the A1307 between Babraham village and the Babraham Research Campus, on the main Babraham Road heading towards Cambridge. The outlet reported that the “westbound lane is entirely obstructed and will remain closed throughout the morning”, with officers and paramedics at the scene and drivers being told to avoid the area.
Specialist site Infrastructure Now stated that the A1307 Babraham Road “was closed westbound this morning (February 20) following a head-on crash” on a road leading into Cambridge, confirming that the collision involved vehicles travelling towards the city. The report noted that emergency services attended and that traffic disruption was expected to last for several hours while the incident was managed and the vehicles were recovered.
Both reports indicate that two people were taken to hospital as a result of the collision, though no further details about their injuries or ages have been publicly confirmed at this stage. Police have not yet issued any statement on whether any arrests have been made, or whether any particular factors such as weather conditions, vehicle defects or driving behaviour are being examined as part of the investigation.
How have police and emergency services responded?
As reported by BBC News, a spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said officers were dispatched to the A1307 shortly after the alarm was raised in the early morning, alongside ambulance crews who treated those injured at the scene before transporting them to hospital. The spokesperson, quoted by BBC News, said:
“The westbound lane is entirely obstructed and will remain closed throughout the morning,”
underlining the seriousness of the incident and the need to keep the carriageway shut for safety and investigative reasons.
Infrastructure Now added that the closure affected the Babraham Road approach into Cambridge, confirming that the westbound side of the A1307 remained closed to traffic while police collision investigators carried out their work. The specialist outlet reported that “a road leading into Cambridge was closed this morning (February 20) following a head-on crash”, and that emergency services remained on scene for an extended period.
East of England Ambulance Service has not yet publicly released a detailed breakdown of the response, but both BBC News and Infrastructure Now state that two people were taken to hospital following the collision. No fire service statement has been quoted so far in the available reports, and it is not yet clear whether firefighters were required for extrication or vehicle safety following the impact.
How long will the A1307 closure and disruption last?
In its coverage, BBC News reported that a police representative warned that the westbound lane of the A1307 “will remain closed throughout the morning”, signalling that drivers heading towards Cambridge faced delays and diversions across the morning peak. The report confirmed that emergency services were on site and that the closure covered the stretch between Babraham village and the Babraham Research Campus, a busy section for commuters and staff travelling to the campus.
Infrastructure Now echoed this assessment, explaining that the road “was closed westbound this morning (February 20) following a head-on crash” and that the closure was expected to last several hours while collision investigators examined the scene and the vehicles were removed. The site pointed out that the route is a key corridor into Cambridge, meaning that even a single-lane closure can have a knock-on effect on wider traffic patterns around the city.
Both reports stated that drivers have been urged to avoid the area and seek alternative routes for journeys into Cambridge, particularly during the morning rush hour. Highways teams will be responsible for making the carriageway safe for reopening once police investigations are complete, and no firm reopening time had been announced in the early statements available on Friday morning.
What advice have authorities given to motorists?
BBC News reported that Cambridgeshire Police have urged motorists to steer clear of the affected section of the A1307 and to “consider different routes to avoid delays” while the westbound carriageway remains closed. The advice is aimed primarily at commuters using the Babraham Road corridor to travel into Cambridge, including those heading to employment and research facilities around the Babraham Research Campus.
Infrastructure Now similarly reported that drivers were advised to avoid the area due to the closure of the westbound side and the presence of emergency vehicles around the collision site. The outlet suggested that the closure was causing queues and disruption to traffic attempting to join or leave the city via the A1307 corridor.
As of the latest statements cited in both reports, no detailed diversion route map has been published in the media coverage currently available, but standard practice on this road typically involves rerouting traffic via alternative approaches such as the A11, A505 or other local roads where appropriate. Motorists have been warned to allow extra journey time and to follow any instructions or temporary signage put in place by police and highways officers on the ground.
How does this incident fit into recent serious crashes on major roads near Cambridge?
While every collision is investigated on its own facts, the A1307 incident comes against a backdrop of recent serious crashes on major routes in Cambridgeshire that have drawn attention to road safety. Earlier in February, BBC News reported that several people were injured in a three-car crash on the A14 near Fenstanton at about 18:40 GMT on a Sunday, with Cambridgeshire Police confirming that “several people were treated for minor injuries” and that the road was closed for around two hours. In that case, no arrests were made, but the closure caused disruption on another key arterial route serving the region.
Separately, BBC News recently covered concerns about the A10 between Littleport and Ely, where a mother described “pothole-swerving” on the “fatal crash road” after a serious incident involving a truck. In that report, the driver, who the BBC referred to as “Katie”, recounted how a large pothole on the A10 had been present for weeks and said she feared that a truck may have hit or swerved around it before swinging into oncoming traffic, prompting her to tell police “You need to close the road; something needs to be done.”
In another serious case reported by ITV News Anglia, two women died in a head-on crash between a fuel tanker and an Audi on the A10 between Littleport and Ely, with the fuel tanker driver arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and later released on bail pending further enquiries. ITV News Anglia said the collision happened at around 18:40 on a Thursday and that the A10 remained closed for much of the day afterwards, demonstrating how head-on collisions involving larger vehicles can have devastating consequences and lengthy operational impacts on key regional routes.
These separate incidents on the A14 and A10 do not have a confirmed direct link to the A1307 collision near Babraham, but together they highlight a pattern of serious crashes on major roads in and around Cambridgeshire in recent weeks that has intensified public and media focus on route safety, maintenance and enforcement.
What are investigators likely to consider after the Babraham head-on crash?
As reported by BBC News, Cambridgeshire Police have begun an investigation into the circumstances of the A1307 head-on collision and have appealed for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage from the area at around 05:25 GMT. Officers will examine the positions and conditions of the vehicles, road surface and markings, as well as any relevant CCTV or in-car video that might help to establish how the collision unfolded.
Infrastructure Now indicated that the westbound closure would remain in place while “investigation and recovery work” took place, a phrase commonly used to describe the period during which collision investigators document the scene and specialists remove damaged vehicles for further examination if needed. The presence of a truck in a head-on collision will mean particular attention is paid to its load, mechanical condition, tachograph records, and any potential issues such as driver fatigue or distraction, though no specific factor has yet been identified publicly in this case.
In light of recent coverage of serious incidents on other local routes, including the A10 and A14, it is likely that road safety campaigners and local residents will be watching developments closely and may renew calls for measures such as improved road layout, lower speed limits, more enforcement or additional safety infrastructure if any systemic issues are identified. At this early stage, however, police and local authorities have not made any statements linking the Babraham crash to broader policy changes or specific road defects, and the focus remains on establishing the facts of this collision and supporting those injured.
