Thousands of drivers across Greater Manchester faced heavy delays on Tuesday morning after a breakdown on the M60 triggered a major motorway closure during rush hour traffic.
The clockwise carriageway of the M60 was shut between Junction 22 at Hollinwood Interchange in Oldham and Junction 23 at Snipe Interchange in Ashton-under-Lyne after a vehicle reportedly broke down across two lanes. The incident quickly caused long queues stretching across the motorway network and surrounding local roads.
According to Greater Manchester Police (GMP), officers were called to the scene following reports of a “broken down car between two lanes”. National Highways later confirmed the motorway closure and warned drivers to expect severe congestion and lengthy delays while emergency services dealt with the incident.
Traffic monitoring systems showed delays of around 30 minutes against normal journey times on the affected route. Congestion was reported between Junction 20 and Junction 22 on the clockwise side, while nearby roads through Chadderton, Ashton, Oldham and Tameside also became heavily congested as drivers attempted to find alternative routes.
The A635 Manchester Road in Ashton was additionally closed in both directions, worsening traffic conditions across the area.
Emergency crews respond as delays build
National Highways said Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service crews were working alongside police officers and traffic teams at the scene. Officials stated they could not immediately confirm how long the closure would remain in place because of the “nature of the incident”.
Drivers travelling clockwise on the M60 were advised to follow the official diversion marked by the solid diamond symbol displayed on motorway signs. Authorities also urged motorists not to ignore diversions or rely entirely on sat-nav systems because nearby roads were already under significant pressure.
CCTV traffic images released during the morning showed near standstill conditions on parts of the motorway, with queues of cars and heavy goods vehicles backed up for long stretches.
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M60 disruption hits morning commuters
The M60 is one of the busiest motorway routes in the North West and forms a key orbital route around Greater Manchester. Any closure during peak commuting hours often causes disruption far beyond the immediate area.
Tuesday’s closure created major problems for commuters heading toward Manchester, Ashton-under-Lyne and Oldham during one of the busiest travel periods of the day. Traffic conditions also affected connecting roads and junctions around Hollinwood and nearby industrial routes.
National Highways continues to publish live updates on the incident through its official traffic information service, while local authorities have asked drivers to allow extra travel time and avoid the area where possible.
The latest disruption follows several recent motorway incidents across Greater Manchester and the wider North West. Swikblog recently covered another major regional traffic incident in this report on the M61 motorway closure near Bolton.
As of the latest update, traffic remained slow-moving around the closure area while emergency services continued managing the incident and recovery operation.
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