Commuter nightmare as crash shuts parts of M1

A car which hit the central reservation and overturned has closed two lanes southbound, causing queuing traffic for seven miles and long delays between J45, the A63 (Leeds Cross Green) and J44, the A639 (Leeds South). Journeys were taking as long as 70 minutes just on that short stretch, with congestion to back to J47, the A642 at Garforth.

On the M1 northbound, two lanes are closed, causing queuing traffic for four miles and delays between J44, the A639 (Leeds South) and J45, the A63 (Leeds Cross Green).

Travel time is 30 minutes, with congestion back to the M62 at Lofthouse.

A broken down vehicle is also causing queues on the Northbound carriageway between junction 39 at Durkar and junction 40 at Ossett.

One lane is closed and there are delays of around 15 minutes.

There are also delays and very slow traffic the on M62 westbound between J32, the A639 (Pontefract) and J29, the M1 at Lofthouse, as well as heavier than usual traffic on the eastbound A6110 ring road at Low Wortley in Leeds between the A58 Whitehall Road junction and Beeston.

Today’s delays come just 24 hours after slush and ice caused delays of several hours for some drivers on routes across the county.