M60 closed after serious crash involving motorbike near Simister Island

Friday, 1 August 2025 21:45

By David Murphy

The carriageway closest to the camera is Anticlockwise, J19. Credit: National Highways

The M60 has been shut in both directions tonight, Friday, 1 August, following a serious crash involving a motorcyclist.

The collision happened between Junctions 18, Simister Island, and 19, near Middleton, just after 9pm. Both Greater Manchester Police and National Highways have confirmed that the road will remain closed for a “prolonged period” while emergency teams attend the scene.

Paramedics from the North West Ambulance Service are also involved in the response, though no official update has yet been issued on the condition of those involved.

National Highways has advised motorists to avoid the area and to follow signed diversion routes. A pre-planned closure for roadworks between Junctions 21 and 19 on the anti-clockwise carriageway is also in place tonight, meaning the full anti-clockwise route is closed between Junctions 21 and 18.

Traffic officers and contractors are currently managing the scene and helping to redirect vehicles.

Drivers heading clockwise are being advised to:

Exit at Junction 18 and travel anti-clockwise to Junction 17
Take the A56, then the A6044 and A576
Rejoin the M60 clockwise at Junction 19

For those heading anti-clockwise, the recommended route is:

Leave at Junction 21 via Semple Way
Use the A663 and A6104, then follow the A576
Continue towards the A6044 and A56 to rejoin at Junction 17

A spokesperson for National Highways said: “The M60 in Greater Manchester is currently closed in both directions due to a serious collision involving a motorcyclist. The closure is likely to remain in place overnight while police carry out investigation work.”

Drivers are urged to check live travel updates and allow extra time for journeys.

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something happening in our Borough?

Let us know by emailing newsdesk@rochvalleyradio.com

All contact will be treated in confidence.

More from Local News

Seven Sisters tenants reaction to the news they could soon be removed

Billy Jackson has called Rochdale’s Seven Sisters home for 40 years. But shock decision means 2025 will be his final year in the iconic tower blocks.
Festive magic arrives in Bury as North Pole Safari Trail transforms town centre

Free augmented reality trail, festive lights switch-on and family events launch Christmas celebrations in Bury
Replacement mosque plans approved despite concerns about parking

Plans to knock down and rebuild a mosque in Prestwich have been approved despite a 1,630 person petition opposing it.
Andy Burnham ‘taken aback’ by decision to move hundreds out of Seven Sisters towers

Andy Burnham was ‘taken aback’ by a decision to clear Rochdale’s iconic ‘Seven Sisters’ tower blocks, forcing hundreds from their homes.
Nine-bed HMO built ‘without permission’ discovered after neighbours complain

Council enforcement officers discovered a nine-bed HMO had been created without permission after a complaint from neighbours, councillors have heard.
Rochdale’s music legacy takes centre stage with iconic Cargo Studios reunion

Rochdale’s rich musical heritage was centre stage at a packed launch event marking the beginning of a new borough-wide celebration called ‘Rochdale Music Stories’, featuring big names like Peter Hook, Clint Boon and Andy McCluskey.
Naked man stops traffic on Rochdale Road in Bury in shocking mid-morning incident

A naked man caused disruption on a busy Bury road on Wednesday morning, swatting at cars and attempting to open vehicle doors before being detained and taken to hospital.
Seven Sisters tower blocks to be emptied over safety concerns

Residents of the iconic tower blocks that have dominated the skyline of Rochdale since the 1960s have been told they will be evicted due to safety concerns.
Culture Co-op secures £1 million to give Rochdale residents more say over arts and creativity

Rochdale’s Culture Co-op has been awarded £1 million to put local people at the heart of cultural decision-making, as part of a £42 million national programme run by Arts Council England.
Hollin pupils turn happiness into poetry during magical session in Middleton

Middleton Library plays host to spellbinding session with Rochdale’s poet laureate Sammy Weaver
Waugh presses government to ensure grooming inquiry tackles race and class ‘head on’

Rochdale MP Paul Waugh says national grooming inquiry must win survivors’ trust and 'follow the evidence wherever it leads’
Goodbye garlic bread? Sandbrook Park Pizza Hut to shut as 68 UK branches axed

Rochdale’s Pizza Hut restaurant is among dozens of UK branches set to permanently shut, after the company that operated the brand in the UK fell into administration.