A broken down lorry caused traffic chaos on the A629 Elland Bypass on this afternoon.
The HGV blocked one lane Halifax-bound close to the end of the bypass. Police then parked up in the centre of the road to direct traffic around the obstruction but huge tailbacks built up.
Queues stretched back up towards Ainley Top. Even after the lorry was towed away it took a long time for traffic to clear and delays stretched into rush hour.
Mum-of-four Alison Rodgers, 38, told how she was caught in the delays when she was taking her children ice skating to Halifax.
“It took me an hour and a quarter to get from home in Berry Brow to Halifax,” she said.
“There were ambulances getting stuck, some of them with blue lights flashing. They weren’t stopped but they were just creeping forward as cars were having to drive onto concrete verges. It was chaos.”
Health chiefs have plans to close the A&E unit at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and move emergency care to Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax.
Campaigners against the plans say congestion on the Elland Bypass could cost lives.
“It was awful,” said Alison. “My heart went out to the people in the ambulances. If they shut down Huddersfield A&E this could happen all the time.”
