Traffic held on M66 near Simister Island after 8.45am crash

Traffic on the m66 northbound was briefly stopped at 8.45am after a collision near Simister Island, holding vehicles between junctions four at the M60 and three at Pilsworth Road. Drivers joining from the M60 saw queues build quickly, with congestion spreading through Prestwich before traffic was released.

Simister Island stoppage

Inrix said: "All traffic being temporarily held and stationary traffic due to accident on M66 Northbound from J4 M60 J18 (Simister Island) to J3 Pilsworth Road (Hollins). All traffic stopped at around 08:45." The hold affected the northbound carriageway closest to the M60 junction, where the M66 meets the M60 at Simister Island.

That left drivers on the M60 clockwise facing heavy traffic approaching Simister Island, while queues backed up past junction 17 at Prestwich and Whitefield. Congestion also tailed back towards junction 16 at Clifton, showing how quickly one stoppage on the M66 can spill onto the linked motorway network.

M60 queues cleared

The incident has since been cleared, and traffic has now been released on the M66. Queues have also cleared on the M66 and the M60 anticlockwise, easing the pressure for drivers near Heaton Park and those heading towards Simister Island from the opposite direction.

For drivers who hit the slowdown, the practical change is simple: the northbound M66 is moving again, but the earlier stop at 8.45am still left delays across both motorways while the crash scene was dealt with. Anyone approaching Simister Island from the M60 clockwise or anticlockwise should still expect the route to carry the main load when congestion returns.