Understanding M62 Traffic: A Comprehensive Guide for UK Commuters

The M62 motorway stands as one of Northern England’s most critical transport arteries, stretching across 107 miles and connecting Liverpool to Hull through Manchester, Bradford, Leeds, and Wakefield. Yet this vital route has earned a reputation as one of the most congested stretches of road in Britain, particularly between junctions 18 and 29, where the motorway passes through Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire. For anyone who regularly drives this route, whether for commuting, business, or leisure, understanding the traffic patterns and conditions has become essential knowledge.

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The M62 carries an average daily traffic flow of 144,000 vehicles in West Yorkshire alone, making it a critical economic corridor for both passenger and freight transport. The motorway provides the most practical route for heavy goods vehicles moving commercial traffic between Manchester and Leeds, with significant warehouses in the surrounding urban areas requiring constant delivery services to ports at Merseyside and the Humber. This relentless demand on the infrastructure creates a perfect storm of congestion during peak hours, leaving many drivers frustrated and delayed.

Understanding the M62’s Layout and History

The M62 is unique among Britain’s motorways in several remarkable ways. Most notably, it starts at Junction 5 rather than Junction 1, a quirk resulting from original plans to create an urban motorway through Liverpool’s city centre. The motorway features 34 junctions instead of the originally planned 38, and includes one of England’s most distinctive landmarks: Stott Hall Farm, which sits directly in the middle of the carriageway between junctions 22 and 23. The farm was not acquired during construction because the land was deemed too steep to make the motorway lanes meet, so instead, six lanes—three on each side—flow around it in a remarkable engineering solution.

Between Manchester and Leeds, the M62 rises to over 300 metres above sea level as it crosses through the Pennines, adding another dimension to traffic management challenges during severe weather. This elevated section becomes particularly hazardous during winter months when snow and ice create dangerous driving conditions.

The Worst Traffic Hotspots on the M62

Not all sections of the M62 experience equal congestion. Several junctions have consistently emerged as trouble spots where drivers regularly encounter delays and should take extra caution.

Worsley Interchange represents the most notorious bottleneck on the entire M62, where traffic merges from the westbound carriageway onto the M60 orbital motorway around Manchester. This junction handles vehicles destined for Manchester city centre, making it exceptionally busy during peak times. The convergence of massive traffic volumes from both directions creates a classic merge problem that regularly backs up traffic along the M62 approach roads.

Junctions 18 through 20, spanning the area from Simister Island through to Rochdale and Thornham, form the second major congestion zone. This stretch has become a chronic trouble spot that sees regular traffic incidents. Junction 20 at Thornham has been the scene of several notable accidents in recent years, while the entire corridor between junctions 18 and 29 represents one of Britain’s most challenging sections for traffic management. The stretch between Manchester and West Yorkshire is specifically recognised as one of the most congested areas in the entire UK.

Junction 27, marking the starting point of the M621 motorway and connecting to the A62 and A650, handles enormous volumes of traffic due to its connections and the large retail park situated nearby. This intersection regularly experiences delays, particularly during evening and weekend peak times when shopping traffic peaks.

Junctions 25 and 29 also warrant attention from regular travellers. Junction 25 at Brighouse sits between significant commercial areas, while Junction 29 marks the crossing point with the M1 motorway—one of England’s most important transport interchanges. Long-term plans have targeted both locations for improvement, though implementation has faced delays.

Recent M62 Traffic Incidents

The M62’s safety record remains a significant concern for authorities and regular users alike. In recent months, several major incidents have disrupted the motorway’s operations substantially.

In November 2025, a serious car crash between junctions 21 and 22 near Rochdale caused westbound lanes to close completely. A substantial fuel spill resulted from the collision, creating hazardous conditions that forced authorities to shut all westbound lanes as cleanup operations continued. Around four miles of congestion developed as a consequence, significantly affecting travel times for numerous drivers using that route. The incident highlighted how quickly the M62’s capacity can become overwhelmed following accidents.

Just weeks earlier, in October 2025, another significant crash near junction 11 at Birchwood, close to Warrington, closed one lane on the eastbound carriageway and backed traffic up to junction 8. These incidents underscore the accident-prone nature of certain M62 sections and the cascading effects that result when the motorway’s limited spare capacity becomes consumed by incidents.

Peak Traffic Times and Commute Planning

Understanding when the M62 experiences its worst congestion helps drivers plan more efficient journeys. The motorway’s traffic patterns follow predictable rhythms throughout the week, though these patterns vary significantly by direction and time.

Morning Rush Hours (7:00 AM to 9:30 AM) represent the first major congestion period of the day. Traffic heading eastbound towards Leeds and Huddersfield experiences the heaviest delays during this window, as commuters head towards their workplaces. The effects prove particularly severe between junctions 18 and 23, where traffic trying to merge onto the M60 and continue eastbound creates severe bottlenecks.

Afternoon and Evening Peak (4:00 PM to 7:00 PM) produces the second major congestion window. During this period, westbound traffic towards Manchester and Liverpool experiences the heaviest delays as commuters return home and traffic reverses direction. According to Highways England data, the greatest time savings on the smart motorway section have been made by drivers travelling westbound during the afternoon peak, between Rothwell and Brighouse. This pattern suggests that westbound afternoon traffic represents a chronic pain point for M62 users.

Friday Evenings and Weekend Travel require special consideration. Friday afternoons see compounded congestion as weekend leisure traffic adds to regular commuter flows. Bank holidays and school holidays create atypical patterns, with traffic often extending well into late evening.

For those with flexible schedules, research shows that early morning travel before 7:00 AM produces the fastest journeys across the M62. Traffic remains light and free-flowing before rush hour congestion builds. Similarly, midday between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM offers a sweet spot between morning and afternoon peak periods, while evening travel after 7:00 PM provides another window of more relaxed driving conditions.

Smart Motorway Technology and Variable Speed Limits

National Highways has invested substantially in smart motorway technology along significant sections of the M62 to combat congestion and improve safety. These schemes employ variable mandatory speed limits (VMSL), hard shoulder running in some areas, and all-lane running in others, creating a more dynamic traffic management system.

The £136 million smart motorway scheme covering 15 miles between junctions 25 and 30 near Bradford and Leeds represents the most comprehensive upgrade on this route. Up to 160,000 vehicles use this section on the busiest days, making it a critical investment for Northern England’s transport infrastructure.

According to Highways England’s analysis, the smart motorway scheme has delivered impressive safety improvements. Collision rates on the upgraded section fell by over one-third following the scheme’s implementation, demonstrating that increased speed management does reduce accidents. However, the impact on journey times has proven more mixed. Whilst journey times improved during peak periods, they worsened outside peak hours, as the variable speed limits occasionally reduce average speeds below what conditions would otherwise allow.

The effectiveness of variable speed limits remains debated among road users. A consultation on the introduction of variable mandatory speed limits on the M62 between junctions 20 to 25 revealed that 68% of respondents did not feel the proposal would improve travelling conditions. Some road users question whether VMSL effectively manage congestion or merely serve to frustrate drivers, though official data supports their safety credentials.

Ongoing Maintenance and Roadworks

M62 users should remain aware of several major maintenance projects that continue to affect traffic patterns throughout 2025 and into 2026.

Junction 24 at Ainley Top has been the focus of extensive drainage replacement works running from August 2025 through November 2025. These essential maintenance operations require 24-hour lane closures and impose temporary 50mph speed restrictions on both the eastbound and westbound carriageways. The project addresses critical infrastructure beneath the motorway, with the culvert being relined and repaired to increase its design life by approximately 100 years.

The drainage works at Junction 24 necessitate significant traffic management measures. Vehicles exceeding 9 feet 6 inches in width face lane bans in specified areas, adding complexity for HGV operators. These restrictions, combined with lane closures and 50mph speed limits, create backups that extend well beyond the immediate work area during peak travel times.

M62 Junction 20 to Junction 25 represents another major scheme implementing controlled all-lane running technology as part of the broader smart motorway programme. This 19-mile section is undergoing conversion to smart motorway status with an estimated project cost between £283.2 million and £392.3 million, representing one of the most significant infrastructure upgrades on the route.

M62 Traffic and the Northern Economy

The M62’s role in supporting Northern England’s economy cannot be overstated. As one of Britain’s most critical transport corridors, it carries an enormous volume of freight traffic essential to manufacturing, distribution, and port operations across the region. Major warehouses throughout Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire depend on the M62 to deliver goods to ports at Merseyside and around the Humber.

For businesses and employees across the North, reliable access to the M62 directly impacts productivity, delivery schedules, and commercial operations. Long delays on the motorway ripple through supply chains, increase logistics costs, and affect employment patterns as workers face increasingly lengthy commutes. This economic interdependence explains why traffic management on the M62 represents not merely an inconvenience but a genuine regional economic concern.

The motorway connects three of England’s five largest metropolitan areas—Manchester, Leeds, and Bradford—making it essential infrastructure for regional economic integration. Any significant disruption affects multiple sectors simultaneously, from manufacturing to retail distribution.

Safety Considerations for M62 Driving

The M62 has experienced tragic incidents over the years, and safety remains paramount for anyone using this motorway regularly. The road has witnessed serious events including the M62 coach bombing of 1974 and the Great Heck rail crash of 2001, making it historically significant in British road safety history.

More recently, motoring accident solicitors report that serious M62 incidents occur on a near-daily basis, ranging from high-speed collisions to multi-vehicle pile-ups involving heavy goods vehicles. The case study of one driver rear-ended in the fast lane by a Sprinter van illustrates how dangerous motorway collisions can be, even at congested speeds. The impact pushed the victim’s car into the vehicle ahead, causing a concertina collision that resulted in a broken collarbone and lasting psychological trauma.

Safe M62 driving requires adherence to several critical principles:

Maintaining adequate spacing between vehicles becomes absolutely essential, particularly in wet weather or during congestion. Tailgating by lorry drivers has been particularly criticised by police, with West Yorkshire’s Roads Policing Unit noting that excessive tailgating creates dangerous conditions where minor incidents cascade into major pile-ups.

Paying close attention to variable speed limit signs and adjusting speeds accordingly protects both your safety and that of other motorists. The speed limits exist not as arbitrary restrictions but as scientifically-determined settings that optimise traffic flow and reduce collision severity. National Highways’ statistical analysis confirms a strong relationship between excessive speed and both collision likelihood and injury severity.

Changing lanes deliberately rather than impulsively helps other drivers anticipate your movements and prevents the dangerous sideswipe collisions that occur when drivers attempt to bypass slow-moving traffic unexpectedly.

Strategies for Minimising M62 Congestion Impact

For those who must regularly use the M62, several strategies can significantly reduce the frustration and delays associated with this congested motorway.

Route alternatives sometimes exist for specific journeys. For travel between Manchester and Leeds, the A62 or A627 provide slower but less congested alternatives during peak times, though journey times typically extend considerably. Checking live traffic information before departure allows you to make informed decisions about route selection.

Flexible travel times represent the most effective congestion reduction strategy for those with scheduling flexibility. Departing before 7:00 AM or after 7:00 PM provides substantially easier driving conditions compared to peak hours. Adjusting work start times, even by 30 minutes, can mean the difference between a 45-minute journey and a 90-minute ordeal.

Public transport alternatives have become increasingly viable in some corridors. Northern rail services between Manchester, Leeds, and intermediate stations offer an alternative to motorway driving for commuters not requiring vehicle flexibility.

Journey planning using real-time traffic apps allows you to monitor current conditions and make informed decisions. National Highways provides live updates through multiple platforms, enabling drivers to adjust routes based on current incidents rather than relying on historical averages.

Workplace flexibility such as home working, compressed working weeks, or flexible hours dramatically reduces M62 usage for many employees. As the workplace has evolved since 2020, more employers have embraced arrangements that allow employees to avoid peak-hour travel.

The Future of M62 Traffic Management

National Highways continues developing and refining traffic management strategies aimed at improving the M62’s capacity and reliability. The rollout of smart motorway technology across additional sections represents the most visible ongoing initiative, with several schemes in various stages of implementation or planning.

However, questions remain about whether technology-based solutions alone can adequately address the structural capacity constraints the M62 faces. The motorway moves an enormous volume of traffic daily, and as regional populations continue growing, demand for motorway capacity shows no signs of diminishing. Long-term solutions may require consideration of alternative transport infrastructure, demand management through congestion charging or dynamic pricing, or substantial capacity increases.

The Scottish and Welsh governments are also managing their respective motorway networks with similar challenges. National Highways’ management of the M62 sits within a broader context of strategic road network management across England, with competing priorities for limited infrastructure budgets.

Frequently Asked Questions

What time does M62 traffic get worst?

The M62 experiences peak congestion during two distinct windows: the morning rush hour from 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM and the evening rush hour from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Westbound traffic during afternoon peak (4:00 PM to 7:00 PM) typically experiences the heaviest delays overall, particularly between Rothwell and Brighouse. Friday evenings bring additional congestion as weekend leisure traffic combines with regular commuter flows.

Are there smart motorways on the M62?

Yes, National Highways has implemented smart motorway schemes on several sections of the M62. The most significant example covers 15 miles between junctions 25 and 30 near Bradford and Leeds, employing variable mandatory speed limits, dynamic hard shoulder running, and controlled all-lane running depending on the specific section. Additional schemes are in development or implementation, including the conversion of junctions 20 to 25 to smart motorway status.

How long does it take to drive across the M62?

Journey times across the M62 vary dramatically depending on the time of day and traffic conditions. During light traffic periods, the full 107-mile route might take approximately 1 hour 45 minutes. However, during peak congestion, the same journey could easily extend to 3 hours or more. Between specific points like Leeds and Manchester, free-flowing traffic typically takes 45 to 55 minutes, whilst during peak hours this can stretch to 1 hour 20 minutes or longer depending on specific conditions.

What should I do if my car breaks down on the M62?

If your vehicle breaks down on the M62, immediately switch on your hazard lights and move to the hard shoulder if safely possible. Never attempt to repair your vehicle on the motorway itself. Instead, call the emergency services using the 999 number on your mobile or locate one of the emergency telephones positioned along the verge. These orange boxes mark emergency access points spaced approximately every mile along the motorway. Only leave your vehicle if it is unsafe to remain inside, and then stand well away from moving traffic behind a safety barrier if available.

Are there any alternative routes to the M62?

Yes, several alternative routes exist depending on your destination. The A62 between Manchester and Oldham provides a local alternative, whilst the A627 offers another option in parts of Greater Manchester. For journeys between Manchester and Leeds, these A-roads provide congestion-free alternatives, though journey times typically increase significantly. During exceptional M62 incidents, National Highways often operates a diversion network using the M1, M60, and connecting A-roads, which are clearly signed at the time.

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