Police are laying the blame on motorists using the hard shoulder and red X lanes after snow blocked the Transpennine Motorway overnight with cars and lorries stuck for hours
Greater Manchester Police said ploughing and gritting on the trans-Pennine motorway was “severely delayed” by motorists illegally using the hard shoulder and closed lanes
The RAC said “the situation was made worse” by drivers overtaking other vehicles and getting stuck in fresh snow
RAC breakdown spokesman Rod Dennis said: “A substantial amount of snow falling in a very short space of time can quickly lead to problems even if a road has been treated, and it looks like that’s what happened on the M62 overnight.
“The situation was made worse by drivers overtaking slower moving traffic only to find themselves stuck in a lane of fresh snow.”
Meanwhile problems on the trains continues with two key Peak District rail routes blocked by snow.
The closure of the Hope Valley line means no trains are running between Manchester and Sheffield, or between Buxton and Hazel Grove.
Ross Davies, Network Rail’s North West route head of control, said: “As expected substantial snowfall hit the Pennines overnight and our teams are out fighting against the elements to get trains moving on our higher routes through the Peak District.
“I’d like to thank passengers for their patience while we make the Hope Valley and Buxton lines safe for trains to run and ask people to keep checking National Rail Enquiries for the latest travel information so they aren’t caught out in the cold.”
