A major stretch of the M62 near Huddersfield has been hit by disruption after roadworks machinery broke down during overnight works — leaving drivers facing long queues, diversions, and a frustrating start to the day across West Yorkshire.
The closure affects the M62 westbound around Junction 24 (Huddersfield / Ainley Top), where crews were carrying out planned overnight maintenance when a piece of plant machinery broke down and recovery operations began. With the motorway partially closed while the equipment is removed, traffic quickly backed up, turning a routine roadworks window into rush-hour gridlock.
National Highways updates indicated the closure was in place “within J24” while recovery continued, with delays building on approach. Drivers reported queues stretching back for miles, with journey times swelling well beyond what commuters and freight traffic expect on this key Pennines corridor.
If you’re travelling today, the most useful move is to check live updates before setting off — National Highways directs drivers to Traffic England’s live travel alerts, which updates incidents, closures and return-to-normal estimates across the strategic road network.
Where is the M62 closure — and why this location snarls so quickly
This part of the M62 is a pressure point even on a normal day. Junction 24 links the motorway to routes in and out of Huddersfield and surrounding West Yorkshire communities, while nearby junctions funnel traffic toward Manchester, Leeds and the wider M1/M60 network. When lanes close here, queues don’t just form — they spread, spilling onto slip roads and clogging local approaches.
What makes this disruption especially tricky is the mix of traffic using the route: commuters heading into regional centres, HGVs moving goods across the country, and drivers using the M62 as the quickest east–west link over the Pennines. When one side of the motorway is restricted, the alternatives can become saturated within minutes.
Diversions and what drivers can do right now
National Highways said traffic was being managed via the exit and entry slip roads at Junction 24 while recovery continues, effectively moving vehicles off the main carriageway and back on again once safe. That can keep traffic flowing at a crawl, but it often creates stop-start bunching — and can trap drivers behind a single pinch point for a long time.
If you’re approaching the area, three practical options tend to help:
- Delay your departure if you can — even 30–60 minutes can make a big difference once recovery equipment clears the carriageway.
- Check diversions before committing — local A-roads can clog fast, and sat-nav reroutes may push traffic into bottlenecks.
- Plan for extra time and fuel — motorway queues move slowly, and stop-start traffic can drain range quicker than expected.
For anyone commuting locally, it’s worth remembering that a motorway incident can overload surrounding routes that were never built for that volume. If your journey can be switched to rail or a delayed start time, you may save yourself the worst of the congestion.
Why there are overnight works here in the first place
This disruption comes during a period of planned maintenance and resurfacing on the M62 in West Yorkshire. National Highways has published details of ongoing schemes in the region, including work that includes the westbound carriageway and slip roads at Junction 24. You can see the scheduled works and the broader plan on the official National Highways Yorkshire & North East maintenance schemes page.
Overnight roadworks are designed to reduce disruption — fewer cars, easier lane management, and safer space for crews. But when equipment fails mid-operation, it can flip quickly from “quiet night closure” to “morning chaos,” especially on a route as busy and strategically important as the M62.
How Long it Could Last
The key variable is recovery: how quickly the broken-down machinery can be moved safely, and whether any additional checks are needed before the motorway returns to normal. National Highways updates suggested recovery and clear-up works were ongoing, with significant delays and congestion building behind the closure.
If you need the most current status (open lanes, queue length, and whether traffic is moving again), your best sources are official updates and incident feeds. National Highways Yorkshire regularly posts incident updates on its official channel, and live feeds can show when delays start easing.
For more UK travel and disruption coverage as it breaks, you can also keep an eye on Swikblog UK updates.
Driver safety reminder: If you’re already in slow traffic, keep a safe distance, avoid sudden lane changes near slip roads, and leave extra braking room in stop-start conditions. If you break down, move to a place of safety if possible and follow official guidance.
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