M6, M56, M60, and M62 rush hour chaos as Manchester motorways snarl up

Commuters are experiencing delays with queues building following four separate incidents near Manchester - drivers are being warned to allow good time for their journeys

Kelly Williams Content Editor and Stephen Topping

07:56, 11 Dec 2025Updated 10:34, 11 Dec 2025

[Queues on the M6 approaching Warrington]

Queues on the M6 approaching Warrington(Image: National Highways)

Commuters are in for a rough ride this morning as traffic snarls up following four separate incidents near Manchester. Motorists are grappling with delays on the M6, M56, M60 and M62 this morning (December 11).

The M60 is 'partially blocked' on the clockwise carriageway at junction 27 for Portwood, causing headaches for drivers heading towards Stockport. Traffic is backed up past Denton Island at junction 24.

Lengthy queues have formed on the M6 southbound near the Thelwall Viaduct, close to Warrington, due to a collision. Traffic is tailing back to junction 23 for the East Lancs Road, near St Helens, while rubberneckers are slowing down the northbound side.

Meanwhile, traffic has piled up on the M62 eastbound between junctions 11 at Birchwood and 12 at the M60 Eccles Interchange. This follows an 'obstruction' on the road, according to the Inrix traffic monitoring service.

A breakdown is also triggering queues on the M56 eastbound, with a lane shut between junctions seven at Bowdon and six at Hale. The incident is causing hold-ups for drivers heading towards Manchester Airport and the city centre, reports the Manchester Evening News.

There is also congestion on the M61 southbound approaching the M60, with queues tailing back to junction four near Bolton.

Drivers on the M60 anticlockwise from Simister Island to the M62 at junction 12 are facing the usual rush hour delays.

UPDATE: All lanes have now reopened on the M6 southbound at the Thelwall Viaduct and the M60 clockwise at Portwood, but queues remain approaching those areas.

A lane is closed on the M56 eastbound between junctions six and seven, following a breakdown.

The M62 eastbound is 'partially blocked' due to an obstruction on the road, according to Inrix.

Both incidents on the M60 and M62 have now been cleared, according to Inrix.

The usual rush hour traffic remains on both motorways, however.

All incidents have now cleared, according to Inrix. Some minor delays remain on motorways across the region.

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