A clean up operation is underway to get the motorway open again
Dramatic photos show the aftermath of an eight vehicle crash that has shut a motorway close to Manchester Airport for more than 11 hours. The M60 remains shut after a crash involving eight vehicles, with large spillages keeping the carriageways from being useable.
Emergency services were called out to the scene between junction 27 at the Portwood roundabout and junction one for the Stockport Pyramid just before 11.30am this morning (July 7).
The motorway has been shut in both directions after the crash which involved four heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and four cars, with a number of people suffering minor injuries in the incident.
One of the HGVs crossed the central reservation and struck a number of lamp columns in the process. A second HGV shed its load of beer barrels across the road.
It has also been reported that there were several “ruptured fuel tanks”, leading to a large amount of diesel being spilt across the motorway.
The closure is expected to last until the early hours of tomorrow (July 8). National Highways said on its website: “All emergency services attended the scene including Greater Manchester Police, Manchester Fire & Rescue, North West Ambulance Service, National Highways Traffic Officers and maintenance contractors.
“Luckily, all injuries were considered to be minor however, it is expected the road will remain closed in both directions for a substantial amount of time due to the amount of infrastructure damage, spillage, debris clean-up and the recovery of several substantially damaged large vehicles.
“All road users caught within the closures have been released.”
National Highways published the following diversion routes:
Clockwise (follow the route marked with a hollow diamond symbol and then a solid triangle symbol)
- Leave M60 clockwise at Jct 25
- At the roundabout, take third exit onto A560
- Follow the A560 westbound and continue past J26, remaining on the A560.
- At the Portwood Interchange (M60 J27) take the third exit to remain on the A560 note: diversion route symbol changes to solid triangle at this point
- Continue on to the A560 to the roundabout with the A5145 and take the fourth exit on to Travis Brow
- Keep left on the A5145 and turn on to the A5145
- Remain on the A5145 to J1 of the M60 and at the roundabout take the third exit to re-join the M60 clockwise.
Anti-clockwise (follow route marked with a solid square symbol on local road signs):
- Leave M60 anti-clockwise at Jct 1.
- At the roundabout take second exit onto A5145 (Travis Brow)
- At A5145/A560 roundabout, take first exit onto A560 eastbound
- At A560/M60 Jct 27 roundabout, take third exit onto A560 eastbound
- At A560/M60 Jct 25 roundabout, take first exit and re-join M60 anti-clockwise.
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