M62 crash causes rush hour chaos near Oldham

Commuters faced a miserable start to Wednesday morning as a crash on the M62 brought rush hour traffic to a standstill near Oldham. The collision between a car and van at around 7am caused tailbacks stretching for miles, with vehicles queuing back to Junction 23 at Outlane.

The crash happened between Junction 22 at Saddleworth and Junction 21 at Newhey, forcing National Highways to close two lanes while emergency services dealt with the scene. The van was able to drive away, but the car had to be recovered to the hard shoulder, keeping traffic snarled up for nearly two hours.

By 8.15am, National Highways reported that no injuries had been sustained and one lane had reopened, though delays persisted until shortly before 9am. Traffic cameras showed emergency vehicles at the scene as frustrated drivers faced extended journey times on what's already one of the region's busiest commuter routes.

For anyone trying to get to work or school via the M62 this morning, it meant sitting in stationary traffic watching the minutes tick by. The incident serves as a reminder of how quickly a single crash can paralyse this vital stretch of motorway, particularly during peak hours when thousands rely on it to get in and out of Greater Manchester.