M60 Traffic Update: A major disruption affected early morning commuters in Greater Manchester after a key section of the M60 motorway faced a sudden clockwise closure between Junction 22 and Junction 23. The incident led to severe congestion across multiple major routes and left thousands of drivers stranded in long queues during peak travel hours.

Emergency services responded quickly after receiving reports of a police-led incident near the Hollinwood Interchange area in Oldham. The closure impacted one of the busiest sections of the regional motorway network and quickly spread traffic delays into surrounding towns, including Ashton-under-Lyne, Chadderton, and wider Tameside areas.

M60 Traffic Update

Traffic conditions on the M60 deteriorated rapidly as the closure blocked a key clockwise stretch of the motorway. Vehicles approaching Junction 22 faced immediate delays, with congestion building across feeder roads and slip roads connecting to the main carriageway.

As the morning rush intensified, traffic queues extended further back into nearby urban roads. Drivers reported slow movement for extended periods, with some routes becoming heavily saturated as alternative paths absorbed diverted vehicles.

M60 Traffic Chaos: What Happened?

The disruption began when emergency services were called to a police-led incident near Junction 22 of the M60 in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Greater Manchester Police responded to concerns for a man's welfare, prompting a controlled closure of the motorway section to allow safe handling of the situation.

As officers and emergency teams worked at the scene, traffic was forced to stop and divert, creating immediate congestion. Within a short time, the situation escalated into widespread gridlock across surrounding highways and local roads.

M60 Motorway Closure Details

The clockwise carriageway of the M60 motorway was closed between:

• Junction 22 (Hollinwood Interchange, Oldham)
• Junction 23 (Snipe Interchange, Ashton-under-Lyne)

The closure began around 5:30 am and affected a major commuter corridor linking Oldham and Ashton-under-Lyne. In addition, the A635 Manchester Road was also closed in both directions, further restricting movement across the area and increasing pressure on alternative routes.

M60 Traffic Update: Affected Routes

Several key roads across Greater Manchester experienced heavy disruption due to the closure. The impact spread quickly to:

• A635 Manchester Road in both directions
• A62 connecting Oldham with Manchester city routes
• Roads passing through Chadderton and Failsworth
• Local routes across Tameside and Ashton-under-Lyne

Traffic overflow from the motorway pushed vehicles into smaller roads, creating congestion pockets across residential and commercial zones.

M60 Traffic Update: Diversion Routes

National Highways introduced a structured diversion route to manage traffic flow around the closure:

• Exit M60 clockwise at Junction 22
• Join A62 northbound via Manchester Road/Manchester Street
• Continue along A62 Oldham Way
• Proceed through King Street Roundabout towards A627 Ashton Road
• Follow A6140 via Wellington Street and Moss Way
• Rejoin M60 at Junction 23, clockwise entry slip road

Motorists were advised to strictly follow the solid diamond diversion symbols placed along the route to avoid confusion and additional delays.

M60 Traffic Update: Emergency Response at the Scene

Multiple emergency agencies responded to the incident, including Greater Manchester Police, National Highways teams, and Manchester Fire and Rescue Service. Their coordinated response ensured the situation was managed safely while minimising risk to both the public and those involved.

"The M60 in Greater Manchester is closed clockwise between J22 Hollinwood Interchange (Oldham, Failsworth A62) and J23 Snipe Interchange (Ashton-under-Lyne A635)."

Authorities further stated:

"This is due to a Greater Manchester Police led incident. National Highways and Manchester Fire and Rescue are also attending. Due to the nature of the incident we cannot provide an estimated duration for the closure."