All lanes reopened following M62 collision near Huddersfield, but major severe delays remain
Commuters heading back into Leeds or travelling across the Pennines face heavy congestion this evening after a vehicle crossed the central barrier between Junction 23 and Junction 22
All lanes have now reopened in both directions on the M62 between Junction 23 and Junction 22 (Huddersfield) following an earlier traffic collision, according to National Highways Yorkshire.
However, drivers are being warned to brace for severe residual delays as massive backlogs clear, with westbound journey times extended by an hour and a half.
The crash occurred on the high-altitude stretch between Junction 23 for Huddersfield and Junction 22 for Ripponden, after a vehicle crossed over the central reservation and landed on the opposite carriageway.
Emergency services, including Yorkshire Ambulance Service crews and traffic officers, attended the scene following the cross-over collision during peak rush hour.
While all lanes were unblocked shortly before 7pm, the incident has left severe gridlock on both sides of the motorway. Motorists heading westbound towards Manchester are bearing the brunt of the disruption, with delays climbing to 90 minutes and queues stretching back for nine miles.
For eastbound drivers heading back towards Leeds, delays stand at approximately 30 minutes, with around five miles of slow-moving congestion on approach.
Confirming the lane reopenings on social media, National Highways Yorkshire stated: "All lanes have reopened in both directions on the #M62 between J23 & J22 (#Huddersfield) following a traffic collision. Current delays 90 mins west, 9 miles of congestion. Delays 30 mins east, 5 miles of congestion on approach."
With congestion taking time to clear over Scammonden, westbound tailbacks stretch past Junction 24 at Ainley Top. Eastbound traffic crossing over from Greater Manchester also faces heavy queues backing toward Junction 21 at Milnrow.
The disruption has also spilled over onto secondary regional routes as drivers attempt to bypass the motorway bottleneck. Increased traffic volumes and delays are being reported along the A629 through Ainley Top, the A62 via Marsden, and the A640 out of Denshaw.
Motorists are strongly advised to allow significant extra time for their journeys or seek alternative routes while barrier assessments and vehicle recovery work continue into the evening.