Motorway shut near Oldham after early-morning collision
Motorists around Oldham faced delays in the small hours after the M60 clockwise was closed between J22 (Oldham) and J23 (Ashton-under-Lyne) following a collision that also caused a large oil spillage.
Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after the first reports at about 00:30. National Highways and Greater Manchester Police attended, and trapped traffic was later released past the incident in lane 4 while recovery and specialist cleaning teams dealt with the spill.
- Closure first reported at around 12:30am.
- Traffic was being held and then released past the incident in a single lane.
- By around 06:09 the carriageway had reopened and normal traffic flow resumed.
"The M60 clockwise is closed between J22 Oldham and J23 Ashton-under-Lyne due to a collision. Greater Manchester Police are on scene. Trapped traffic is being released past the scene in lane 4."
Traffic data provider Inrix also recorded traffic being temporarily held because of the police incident from J22 A62 Manchester Road (Failsworth) to J23 A6140 Moss Way (Ashton-under-Lyne). In addition to the emergency closure, overnight planned roadworks between J23 and J24 were in place, though those works were later lifted.
| Location | Issue | Status (morning update) |
|---|---|---|
| J22 (Oldham) to J23 (Ashton-under-Lyne) | Collision and large oil spillage | Reopened by 06:09; clean-up completed |
| J23 to J24 | Planned overnight roadworks | Roadworks lifted |
National Highways initially warned there was no estimated reopening time because of the nature of the incident, though they later confirmed the motorway had been cleared. At one stage the incident caused around "30 minute delays and 2 miles of congestion" on the approaches, according to the agency.
For drivers in Oldham and neighbouring suburbs, the closure served as a reminder to check live traffic updates before setting off, particularly overnight when planned maintenance and unplanned incidents can combine. Commuters using the M60 clockwise toward Ashton or the wider ring road should allow extra time or seek alternative routes until full clearance is confirmed.
Greater Manchester Police and National Highways managed the scene through the night; recovery teams and specialist contractors were required to make the carriageway safe following the oil clean-up. By the morning the carriageway was open and traffic returned to normal with no ongoing major delays reported.
InfoRadar will update readers with any further developments, including any follow-up statements from police about the circumstances of the collision or lane restrictions while remedial work continues.
