Broken Machinery Brings M62 To Standstill Near Huddersfield

Early on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, drivers across West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester awoke to a traffic nightmare as a key section of the M62 motorway westbound near Huddersfield was abruptly closed. The culprit? A piece of heavy plant machinery that broke down during overnight roadworks, grinding one of the UK’s busiest motorways to a halt at the heart of the morning rush.

According to National Highways, the breakdown occurred within junction 24 (Ainley Top), a critical interchange for commuters heading between Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, and beyond. The closure, which began in the early hours, forced all westbound traffic off the main carriageway and onto diversion routes via the exit and entry slip roads. The impact was immediate and severe: by sunrise, delays on the approach had already surpassed 50 minutes, with congestion stretching back more than ten miles, reaching as far as junction 27 (Gildersome) on the outskirts of Leeds, as reported by Manchester Evening News.

National Highways, the government agency responsible for England’s major roads, confirmed in a series of updates that the closure would remain in place until the recovery of the broken-down plant machinery was completed. In their words: “Following overnight roadworks and broken down plant machinery, the M62 westbound is closed within Junction 24 (Huddersfield) until recovery is completed. Traffic is being diverted via the exit and entry slip roads.”

For thousands of motorists, this meant a morning mired in frustration. INRIX, a leading traffic data provider, warned: “M62 Westbound closed, severe delays due to broken down Lorry at J24 A629 (Ainley Top). Congestion to J26 M606 J1 (Chain Bar). The motorway is closed within J24 until recovery is completed. Diversion – via the slip roads.”

As the morning progressed, the situation only worsened. At 8:45 am, National Highways issued a further update, warning that, even though the road had reopened, “long residual delays remain on approach of around 75 minutes, please still allow extra time for your journey.” Live traffic cameras confirmed the scale of the gridlock: long lines of vehicles barely moving, stretching far beyond the immediate area of the closure.

The timing could hardly have been worse. The M62 is the backbone of northern England’s motorway network, vital not just for daily commuters but also for businesses moving goods and tourists heading to the region’s many attractions. The closure’s ripple effects were felt as far as Manchester, Leeds, and the Lake District, with knock-on delays affecting local roads and public transport connections alike. As Yorkshire Live put it, the closure “caused rush hour chaos and significant delays for commuters.”

Business travelers, in particular, bore the brunt of the disruption. The M62 links some of the North’s biggest cities and industrial hubs. With the road shut, employees heading to offices in Leeds, Bradford, and Manchester faced extended commutes, while logistics companies struggled to keep deliveries on schedule. The closure also threatened to disrupt supply chains, a reminder of just how dependent the region’s economy is on smooth motorway operations.

Tourists weren’t spared either. The M62 serves as a gateway to popular destinations such as the Yorkshire Dales, Huddersfield, and the Peak District. With traffic at a standstill, visitors found themselves stuck in unexpected jams, their plans for day trips or longer holidays thrown into disarray. As NationalWorld highlighted, “delays for drivers were reported to be more than an hour as of the morning.”

The incident also compounded wider travel issues across the region. On the same morning, the M61 northbound near junction 6 at Horwich saw an accident involving an overturned vehicle, leading to further congestion. Meanwhile, the M62 eastbound was also backed up due to a previous accident between junctions 24 and 25, though this was eventually moved to the hard shoulder. By mid-morning, traffic on the M61 had begun to ease, but the M62 westbound remained a major headache.

For those caught in the chaos, the advice was clear: check real-time updates, allow extra time, and consider alternative routes if possible. National Highways and local media outlets provided regular bulletins, but with delays persisting well into the late morning, patience was in short supply. As one update from National Highways Yorkshire put it, “Long residual delays remain on approach of around 75 minutes, please still allow extra time for your journey.”

The cause of the disruption—a broken-down piece of plant machinery—was a stark reminder of the complex logistics involved in maintaining the UK’s motorway network. Overnight roadworks are a routine part of keeping roads safe and functional, but when heavy machinery fails, the consequences can be felt by thousands. Recovery teams worked swiftly to clear the blockage, but the sheer volume of traffic meant that the effects lingered long after the road was technically reopened.

As The Sun reported, “Westbound traffic has ground to a halt on the busy stretch as recovery gets underway to remove the plant machinery.” The uncertainty over how long recovery would take only added to the anxiety for those with pressing appointments or tight schedules. “It is not yet known how long recovery of the machinery will take,” the outlet noted during the height of the incident.

In the aftermath, questions are likely to be asked about how such incidents can be prevented or mitigated in the future. With the M62 playing such a central role in the region’s economy and daily life, even short-term closures have outsized impacts. For now, though, drivers and businesses alike will be hoping for a swift return to normal—and perhaps a bit more luck with the machinery next time around.

As the morning wore on and traffic finally began to ease, the lesson was clear: in a region as interconnected and bustling as northern England, even a single breakdown can bring the whole system grinding to a halt. Staying informed, flexible, and patient remains the best strategy when the unexpected strikes.