Motorists across northern England faced hours of disruption as severe flooding forced the closure of key lanes on the M62, one of the United Kingdom’s most important trans-Pennine routes. Heavy, persistent rain late on Friday and into Saturday left standing water between Junction 11 at Birchwood and Junction 12 at the Eccles Interchange, triggering lane closures, miles of tailbacks, and renewed concern about the resilience of Britain’s strategic road network in an era of increasingly volatile weather.

What Happened on the M62

The immediate crisis unfolded on the evening of Friday 6 February and into the early hours of Saturday 7 February 2026, when intense rainfall overwhelmed drainage systems on the M62 eastbound between Junctions 11 and 12. National Highways traffic feeds reported flooding on the carriageway and verges, prompting the closure of two lanes in order to protect drivers from hazardous surface water and compromised road conditions.

By late Friday night, traffic cameras and live monitoring services showed a ribbon of red tail lights stretching back from the affected stretch near Birchwood, just east of Warrington, toward the busy junctions that link the M62 with the M60 orbital motorway around Greater Manchester. Motorists caught in the disruption described slow-moving queues, stop-start conditions, and significant delays as traffic funneled into the remaining open lane.

Through Saturday morning, live congestion reports continued to list flooding as the official cause of disruption between Junctions 11 and 12. Although some updates downgraded the delays to a moderate 15-minute impact against expected journey times, lingering surface water, speed restrictions, and intermittent lane closures meant that traffic flow remained fragile. For many drivers, especially those heading toward Manchester and beyond, journeys took far longer than scheduled.

How Severe Weather Brought the Network to a Standstill

The flooding on the M62 is the latest and most visible symbol of an exceptionally wet start to 2026 across the United Kingdom. Weather data for January shows that parts of the southwest of England and South Wales recorded around half as much rainfall again as they would expect in an average month, with bands of heavy rain repeatedly sweeping north and east.

By early February, the ground across much of England had already become saturated. Under these conditions, further rainfall runs off quickly rather than soaking into the soil, significantly increasing the risk of surface water flooding on major roads and motorways. Drainage systems designed for less extreme downpours can rapidly become overwhelmed when intense rain arrives on already waterlogged land.

The Met Office has been flagging continued unsettled conditions, with yellow weather warnings for rain covering multiple regions. While temperatures have hovered near seasonal norms, the combination of frequent heavy showers, gusty winds, and occasional hill snow has created a perfect storm for transport disruption. For the M62, which climbs to more than 1,200 feet above sea level at its highest point across the Pennines, this type of weather pattern is particularly challenging.

Impact on Drivers, Freight and Regional Travel

For ordinary motorists, the most immediate impact of the flooding has been hours of frustration at the wheel. Commuters heading into Manchester or Liverpool, families starting weekend trips, and key workers on early shifts all found themselves stuck in long queues, with journey times stretching far beyond normal expectations.

Commercial freight operators and logistics firms have also been significantly affected. The M62 forms a critical road freight corridor linking the port of Liverpool and the manufacturing hubs of Merseyside and Cheshire with major urban and industrial centres in Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and the Humber. Lane closures and slow traffic on even a relatively short section of the motorway can reverberate hundreds of miles along supply chains, delaying deliveries and increasing costs.

Public transport and local road networks have felt the knock-on pressure. With parts of the motorway network constrained by flooding, some drivers have diverted onto parallel A-roads and local routes through Warrington, Salford and surrounding communities. These roads, often ill-equipped for surges in traffic volume, quickly become congested, compounding delays for buses and local services that share the same corridors.

For travellers planning longer intercity journeys, the disruption on the M62 has prompted a reassessment of routes. Some opted to use the M6 and M56 to skirt around the worst-affected area, while others considered shifting to rail where services remained less exposed to the immediate effects of the flooding.

Official Response and Ongoing Operations on the Ground

In the hours after the flooding was first reported on the eastbound carriageway, National Highways deployed traffic officers and contractors to the scene. Their immediate priorities were to implement lane closures, put in place temporary speed limits, and manage traffic flow through the remaining available lanes, all while ensuring the safety of stranded or vulnerable vehicles.

Maintenance teams worked to clear drains, pump away standing water where necessary, and assess any damage to the road surface. Given the intensity and persistence of the rainfall, officials had to balance the urgency of reopening lanes with the need to avoid premature decisions that could place drivers at risk. In several instances, live updates indicated that while full closure of the carriageway had been avoided, lane one and the hard shoulder remained shut while crews continued their work.

Authorities also made extensive use of digital channels, variable message signs and live travel feeds to alert motorists to the disruption. Drivers were advised to allow extra time, consider alternative routes, and slow down on approach to the affected stretch. The messaging repeatedly emphasised that surface water, reduced visibility and the potential for aquaplaning made normal motorway speeds unsafe even where lanes remained technically open.

Emergency services remained on standby to respond to any collisions or breakdowns. Recent days have already seen a series of separate incidents including a high-profile crash eastbound between Junctions 34 and 35 and a broken-down car causing major congestion near Birchwood. Against this backdrop, police forces have urged the public to heed speed restrictions, maintain safe distances, and avoid unnecessary travel during the worst of the weather.

Wider Flood Warnings Across the UK

The chaos on the M62 has not occurred in isolation. The Environment Agency has been issuing dozens of flood warnings and hundreds of flood alerts across England as rivers, streams and drainage systems strain under the cumulative impact of week after week of heavy rain. From the south-west through the Midlands and into northern England, communities have been advised that flooding is expected or possible, especially in low-lying and river-adjacent areas.

Natural Resources Wales has also issued multiple flood alerts, particularly along vulnerable river catchments and coastal zones. Officials warn that the combination of high river levels, saturated soils and further bands of rain could bring rapid-onset flooding in some locations, giving residents and local authorities little time to prepare.

This network of warnings has a direct bearing on travel planning. Even where main trunk roads such as the M62 are still technically passable, feeder routes, rural roads and access points can quickly become impassable or hazardous. For travellers attempting cross-country routes, the challenge lies not only in monitoring motorway conditions but also in understanding how the evolving flood picture across multiple regions might affect their overall journey.

For tourism and leisure travel, particularly at weekends, the overall effect is to dampen demand and inject uncertainty. Travelers may postpone trips, switch to more local outings, or seek destinations less exposed to the worst of the weather. For operators in affected regions, the financial impact of repeated weather-related disruptions can be significant.

Advice for Travellers Planning to Use the M62

For anyone planning to use the M62 over the coming days, especially those heading through the vulnerable stretch between Junctions 11 and 12, the key message is to plan meticulously and remain flexible. With unsettled weather expected to persist and the ground already waterlogged, the risk of renewed flooding and further lane closures cannot be dismissed.

Drivers should check live traffic and weather information before setting out, paying close attention to updates from National Highways and the Met Office. If flood warnings intensify or new incidents appear on traffic feeds, it may be prudent to delay departure or select an alternative route, such as using the M6 and M56 or travelling outside peak hours.

Once on the road, travellers should adjust their driving style to the conditions. That means reducing speed in heavy rain, allowing greater braking distance, avoiding sudden manoeuvres in standing water, and steering clear of the deepest puddles where hydroplaning is most likely. For long-distance drivers, ensuring that tyres are in good condition, fuel tanks are topped up, and phones are fully charged can make a significant difference in the event of unexpected delays.

Tourists unfamiliar with northern England’s motorway network should build in generous time buffers when planning transfers to airports such as Manchester or Liverpool John Lennon. While rail options provide an alternative in some corridors, they are not immune from weather-related disruption, especially where flood-prone cuttings and embankments are involved. Travel insurance that covers delays and missed connections can provide additional reassurance in this type of volatile situation.

Longer-Term Questions About Resilience

The latest flooding episode on the M62 raises broader questions about the resilience of the United Kingdom’s key transport arteries in an era of more extreme and erratic weather. Climate scientists have long warned that rising global temperatures are likely to increase the frequency of heavy rainfall events, especially in already wet regions such as western Britain.

For road authorities, that trend implies increasing pressure on drainage infrastructure, embankments, bridges and carriageway surfaces. Upgrades may involve not only routine maintenance, such as clearing gullies and replacing worn road surfaces, but also more fundamental engineering interventions that expand drainage capacity or redirect run-off more effectively away from critical routes.

Some of this work is already visible along the M62 corridor, where National Highways has scheduled overnight closures for lighting upgrades and maintenance between key junctions in West Yorkshire throughout February 2026. While not directly related to flooding, such schemes reflect the broader imperative to keep infrastructure modern and robust in the face of mounting climatic stress.

For travellers and the tourism sector, recurring incidents of flooding and weather-related closure have reputational as well as practical consequences. If certain routes become associated in the public mind with frequent severe disruption, visitors may increasingly opt for alternative destinations or modes of transport. Balancing the need to keep roads open with the necessity of protecting lives during extreme conditions will remain a central challenge for policymakers in the years ahead.

The Takeaway

The latest flooding on the M62 between Birchwood and the Eccles Interchange has delivered yet another reminder of how quickly extreme weather can turn one of the UK’s busiest motorways into a corridor of chaos. Hours of delays, widespread frustration, and the heightened risk of collisions all stemmed from a relatively short but crucial stretch of road where heavy rain met saturated ground and overstretched drainage.

For travellers and transport operators, the incident underscores the importance of flexibility, preparedness and real-time information. In a climate where severe rain events are becoming more common, checking live updates, allowing generous journey times and adapting routes at short notice are no longer optional extras but core components of sensible travel planning.

Looking ahead, the M62 flooding should spur continued investment in the resilience of strategic highways and associated local networks, alongside better public understanding of the risks. While no road system can be entirely immune to the forces of nature, smarter infrastructure and better-informed travellers together can help transform hours of chaos into disruption that is at least manageable, if not entirely avoidable.

FAQ

Q1. Which section of the M62 has been most affected by the latest flooding?
The most impacted section is the eastbound carriageway between Junction 11 at Birchwood and Junction 12 at the Eccles Interchange near Greater Manchester, where lane closures were introduced because of standing water on the carriageway and adjacent verges.

Q2. When did the flooding disruption on the M62 begin?
The disruption began on the night of Friday 6 February 2026, when heavy rain led to significant surface water, and continued into Saturday 7 February with ongoing lane closures and congestion reports.

Q3. How long are delays currently expected to last for drivers?
Live incident reports on Saturday indicated delays of around 15 minutes against normal journey times, although many drivers, especially during peak periods, have experienced longer slow-moving queues as traffic funnels through reduced lanes.

Q4. Is the entire M62 closed because of the flooding?
No, the entire motorway is not closed. The disruption has centred on specific eastbound lanes between Junctions 11 and 12. However, even partial closures can create significant knock-on congestion both on the M62 and surrounding roads.

Q5. What is causing the repeated flooding issues on the M62?
The primary drivers are persistent heavy rainfall on already saturated ground, which overwhelms drainage systems and leads to rapid build-up of surface water on the carriageway, especially in low-lying or poorly drained sections of the motorway.

Q6. How are authorities managing the situation on the ground?
National Highways has deployed traffic officers and maintenance teams to manage lane closures, implement speed restrictions, clear drains, and pump away water where needed, while also providing real-time updates through electronic signs and traffic information services.

Q7. What can drivers do to stay safe if they must travel on the M62 during heavy rain?
Drivers should reduce speed, leave extra stopping distance, avoid driving through deep standing water, use headlights in poor visibility, and follow any lane closures or speed restrictions that are put in place for safety.

Q8. Are there recommended alternative routes for avoiding the flooded stretch?
Depending on origin and destination, some drivers may route via the M6, M56 or other parallel trunk roads, although these alternatives can also become busy as traffic diverts, so checking live traffic information before travelling is essential.

Q9. How does this disruption affect freight and long-distance travel?
Because the M62 is a major east west freight artery, lane closures and delays can slow the movement of goods between Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Yorkshire and the Humber, leading to late deliveries, higher fuel costs and logistical complications for hauliers.

Q10. Is this type of flooding likely to become more common in future?
Many climate projections suggest that intense rainfall events will become more frequent as the climate warms, meaning that without significant investment in drainage and resilience, weather-related disruption on major routes such as the M62 may become more common.