Evening commuters heading home to Oldham faced significant disruption on the M60 last night following a crash which closed the anticlockwise carriageway between Denton and Ashton-under-Lyne.

The incident was first reported shortly after 6pm on the stretch between Junction 24 at Denton Island and Junction 23 at Ashton-under-Lyne. Traffic monitoring service Inrix reported that the closure quickly led to long queues and heavy congestion, bringing traffic to a standstill during the busy evening peak.

For Oldham drivers, the closure caused immediate difficulties for anyone travelling anticlockwise on the M60, particularly those joining at Junction 22 via the A627(M). The slip road onto the M60 became a major pinch point, with traffic backing up onto the A627(M) itself. The knock-on effect saw congestion building rapidly, with drivers diverting onto local main roads through Failsworth, Hollinwood, and along the A62 Oldham Road in a bid to find alternative routes home.

Eyewitnesses at the scene reported the presence of emergency services, but details of the number of vehicles involved and any potential injuries remain unconfirmed by authorities at this stage of the investigation.

The disruption was worsened by a separate incident on the M60 anticlockwise carriageway between Junction 7 at Stretford and Junction 5 at Princess Parkway, where another reported collision forced a temporary hold on all traffic, compounding delays across the network.

Further adding to the region's evening travel difficulties, an accident on the A56 Chester Road southbound in Old Trafford caused delays between the A5067 and Warwick Road, creating a difficult evening for drivers right across Greater Manchester.

Social media was awash with frustrated commuters reporting widespread delays. Several Oldham residents reported journey times of over an hour to travel just a few miles from central Manchester. Diversion routes via the A635 through Droylsden and Audenshaw quickly became overwhelmed, as did local routes in Ashton-under-Lyne.

Motorists are advised to expect continued delays while the incidents are dealt with and routes are cleared. National Highways has urged drivers to check live travel updates before setting out on journeys and to seek alternative routes where possible to avoid the affected areas. Public transport options, including Metrolink services to Oldham, may offer a more reliable alternative for some journeys while the road network recovers fully.