Drivers are being urged to take care ahead of rush hour after a day of wintry weather. Parts of Greater Manchester and the surrounding areas have seen heavy snowfall today (March 9).
Two major roads on the edge of the region are both currently closed in both directions due to heavy snow. The A628 Woodhead Pass is shut in both directions between Hollingworth, in Tameside, and the Flouch roundabout at the A616, in South Yorkshire.
The A57 Snake Pass is also closed, between the A6013 at Ladybower Reservoir, and Hurst Road. Electronic warning signs for the route's closure are also not working, according to the Inrix traffic monitoring system.
The two roads through Derbyshire are major routes between Manchester and Sheffield. Traffic in Tameside is also being affected by roadworks on the A57 Hyde Road, from the Hattersley roundabout to John Kennedy Road, with the eastbound section currently closed off.
Elsewhere in the Peak District, the Cat and Fiddle road, the A6024 at Holme Moss and the A53 between Buxton and Leek are also closed in both directions. National Highways is urging drivers heading between Manchester and Sheffield to use the M60, M62 and M1 instead.
A spokesperson for National Highways said: "A severe weather alert for snow in the midlands and north of England was issued for today (Thursday, March 9) and National Highways is asking everyone travelling in these areas to consider if their journey is essential and to go prepared. Preparation includes enhanced around-the-clock vigilance and resourcing along key routes such as the M62, A628 and A66 trans-Pennine locations.
"For safety reasons, the decision has been taken to proactively close the A628. Snow is expected to be persistent and heavy from Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire northwards, with significant accumulations above 100-150 metres.
"Up to 5-10 cm is expected to build up quite widely for these elevations over the course of Thursday and overnight into Friday, with at least 10-20 cm for the Trans-Pennine routes and roads around Sheffield/Huddersfield. There is an increasing risk of 20-30 cm building up on the A628 Woodhead Pass and M62 J21-23.
"For low-lying routes in the North West and North East, especially near coastal regions, accumulations should be negligible. With widespread 40-50 mph wind gusts also occurring at the same time in the North West, drifting snow is another hazard on exposed routes. Coupled with poor visibility, driving conditions are expected to be challenging, particularly on the Pennines routes and during the evening rush hour."
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