Emergency services have closed the M6 in both directions
Traffic is being diverted from the M6 motorway(Image: National Highways)
A woman has died following an incident on the M6 near Haydock this morning. Greater Manchester Police were called at around 7.42am on Friday, January 16, to reports of a concern for the welfare of a woman.
Police responded but the woman died at the scene. Formal identification is yet to take place but police do not believe there’s any suspicious circumstances around the death.
The M6 motorway remains closed in both directions on Friday from J23 A580 East Lancashire Road (Haydock) to J26 M58 (Orrell Interchange). All traffic was stopped at around 8.15am. Emergency services are in response.
National Highways reported the closure is causing 60 minute delays on the northbound carriageway with five miles of congestion. There’s 30 minute delays and four miles of congestion on the southbound direction. Traffic is being diverted and motorists have been advised to avoid the area.
The travel operator said due to the nature of the incident there is currently no estimation for when the motorway will be reopen. It believes the M6 will remain closed throughout the day.
This is an ongoing incident and traffic updates will be shared in our blog.
National Highways has shared information on diversion routes, see below.
Southbound Diversion – Road users are advised to follow the hollow square diversion symbol on road signs:
• Leave M6 SB at Jct 26.
• At M6 Jct 26/M58 Rbts, take first exit off first Rbt and continue to second Rbt. At second Rbt, take second exit onto M58 WB and follow for 9.5 km.
• Leave M58 at Jct 3 WB.
• At M58 Jct 3/A570 Rbt, take first exit onto A570 SB and follow for 8.8 km. IN
• At A570/A580 (Windle Island) Jct, turn left onto A580 EB and follow for 9.2 km.
• At A580/M6 Jct 23 turn left onto gyratory and take fourth exit to rejoin M6 SB.
Northbound Diversion – Road users are advised to follow the solid triangle diversion symbol on road signs:
Use the above roads, in reverse order.
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