**Major Collision Involving Nine Vehicles Leads to M60 Motorway Closure Near Stockport**
A significant multi-vehicle collision led to the closure of a major stretch of the M60 motorway near Stockport in Greater Manchester on Monday morning. Emergency crews responded to the scene after receiving reports of a serious crash that ultimately involved three heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), two vans, and four cars.
The incident, which occurred shortly before 11:30am at Junction 27 (Portwood), caused extensive disruption on the motorway, with debris and damaged vehicles scattered across both carriageways. Remarkably, despite the scale of the collision, authorities have confirmed that no one sustained life-threatening injuries. Three people were transported to hospital as a precaution and treated for minor injuries, according to Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
Photographs from the aftermath revealed the extent of the devastation. Several lorries were seen having breached the central reservation, leaving safety barriers mangled and lamp columns knocked over. One of the HGVs reportedly crossed into oncoming traffic, compounding the danger for road users in both directions.
National Highways officials confirmed that clean-up work remains ongoing while emergency repair crews address substantial damage to roadside infrastructure. The collision also resulted in the spill of diesel fuel and beer barrels across both sides of the motorway, complicating recovery efforts and raising environmental and safety concerns.
A spokesperson for National Highways provided additional detail, noting: “One of the heavy goods vehicles crossed through the central reservation barrier and struck several lamp columns. Additionally, another HGV lost its load of beer barrels, and ruptured fuel tanks have led to significant diesel contamination across the carriageway in both directions.”
With debris spreading over a wide area and the risk of further incidents, authorities made the decision to keep the affected section of the M60 closed for extended periods on Monday and into Tuesday. Road users were urged to seek alternative routes while specialists undertook barrier repairs, fuel containment, and vehicle recovery.
Police have now issued an appeal for witnesses, particularly those with dashcam footage, to come forward to aid their ongoing investigation. In a statement, GMP said: “We are appealing to anyone who witnessed the incident, or who may have dashcam footage from that area at the time, to contact us to assist with our enquiries.” Those able to assist are encouraged to call 101, quoting log 1196 of 7 July 2025, or to use the live chat service on the GMP website.
The collision dramatically highlights the dangers present on busy UK motorways, especially when a single incident can escalate to involve multiple large vehicles and hazardous cargo. For many in the local community and among regular M60 commuters, the crash was a sobering reminder of the need for vigilance and caution on major roadways.
In the wider context, the clean-up and traffic delays underscore the burden such incidents place on the emergency services, highways officials, and the driving public alike. With the damaged barriers and spilt fuel posing ongoing risks, it is likely to be some time before the stretch returns to normal operation. The incident will no doubt feed into future reviews of motorway safety and rapid incident response protocols.
While the authorities work to restore the motorway to full functionality, police and transport officials have thanked motorists for their patience and urge everyone to check for the latest travel updates before setting out. No further details about those involved have been released at this stage as investigations continue.