Roads throughout Greater Manchester and beyond are closed this morning (Friday, March 10) as 'awful' blizzard conditions continued to create severe problems on the region's roads.
Multiple crashes were reported overnight, including drivers being stuck on the M62 for several hours, as police appealed for motorists to only take to the roads if their journey was 'absolutely necessary'.
Yellow Met Office weather warnings for snow and ice remain in place today (Friday) and over the weekend - with an 'Amber' warning in place for parts of Greater Manchester until midday.
Twitter traffic monitor @manctraffic said shortly before midnight: "Multiple crashes reported in the last 90 mins on the A669 Oldham Rd at Platting Rd, Lydgate. Conditions are AWFUL throughout the Oldham and Saddleworth areas. ALSO... A670 Mossley Rd also crawling in the area of the Hartshead Inn, Mossley both ways due to blizzards."
Crashes were also reported in the A635 Park Parade/Stamford Street East and A670 Mossley Road at Ashton-Under-Lyne.
Among the roads hit by problems as listed by the traffic monitoring organisation INRIX National are:
- Severe delays, now one lane closed and stationary traffic due to snow on M62 Eastbound from J21 A6193 Sir Isaac Newton Way (Milnrow) to J22 A672 (Rishworth Moor). Congestion to before J20 A627(M) (Rochdale). Lanes two, three and four (of four) had been closed while a plough tries to clear the snow - now just one lane is shut.
- One lane shut on M62 westbound from J24 to J22.
- A57 Snake Pass is shut in both directions.
- A537 Cat and Fiddle Road in both directions closed due to snow between Bull Hill Lane (Macclesfield, Macclesfield) and A54 (Buxton, Buxton). The A54 is also closed.
- A58 Rochdale Road in both directions impassable due to snow from Blackstone Edge Old Road (Littleborough) to A672 Oldham Road (Ripponden).
- A62 Huddersfield Road in both directions closed due to snow from Platting Road to Pennine Way.
- A628 Woodhead Pass in both directions closed due to snow between Hollingworth (Gun Inn traffic lights, Hollingworth) and A616 (Flouch Roundabout, Hazlehead).
- A640 Huddersfield Road in both directions closed due to snow from A672 Ripponden Road (DenShaw Crossroads, DenShaw) to A663 Shaw Road (Newhey).
- A672 in both directions impassable due to snow between A640 Huddersfield Road (Denshaw Crossroads) and M62 J22 (Rishworth Moor).
Get the latest traffic and weather updates here
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