Commuters and long-distance travellers are facing severe disruption this morning after two separate police incidents brought traffic to a standstill on major motorways in the North West and Midlands.
Major Delays on Manchester's M60
A serious incident on the M60 in Greater Manchester has led to the closure of the motorway in both directions. The disruption is centred on the clockwise carriageway between Junction 11 at the A57(M) and Junction 12 for the M602 and Eccles.
National Highways has confirmed that all traffic is being held due to a police-led incident. Traffic cameras show stationary vehicles stretching back for miles, with congestion building rapidly on surrounding routes as drivers seek alternatives.
Travel time through the affected area is currently estimated at 90 minutes, with delays expected to persist throughout the morning rush hour. Drivers are being strongly advised to avoid the area entirely if possible.
M42 in the Midlands Also Affected
Simultaneously, a separate police incident has caused major delays on the M42 in the West Midlands. The southbound carriageway is partially blocked between Junction 9 for the A446 and Junction 10 for the A45 and Coventry.
Emergency services, including police vehicles, are currently at the scene. Two lanes have been closed to allow officers to deal with the situation, causing significant tailbacks during a busy period for traffic.
National Highways is reporting delays of at least 30 minutes against usual travel times on the approach to the closure. The incident is adding to the wider traffic misery across the country's motorway network.
Advice for Drivers and Ongoing Updates
National Highways, the government-owned company responsible for England's motorways, is providing live updates via its social media channels and website. A spokesperson urged caution for those who must travel.
"Please allow extra journey time if you are travelling in the affected regions this morning," the advice states. "Consider delaying your journey if you can, or seek an alternative route."
For the M60 closure, suggested diversion routes are in place, but these are likely to become heavily congested as traffic volume increases. Local roads in Salford and Eccles are already experiencing higher-than-normal traffic levels.
On the M42, drivers heading towards Birmingham and the NEC are being warned to expect lengthy hold-ups. The cause of both incidents has not been officially disclosed by the police forces involved, who are managing the scenes.
This dual disruption on key arterial routes is causing a ripple effect across the regional road network. Traffic analysts warn that recovery will be slow once the incidents are cleared, with residual delays likely to last well into the late morning.
