Drivers are being warned to be prepared for severe weather in Yorkshire and the north tonight and over the weekend.
Highways England has issued an amber weather alert for motorways and major A roads in the North, with gusts of up to 70mph forecast from tonight.
Drivers across the region are being urged to check the weather and driving conditions before setting out on journeys this weekend. High winds are forecast from 9pm tonight (Friday 4 December) until 5am on Sunday (6 December).
The calm before the storm - amazing pictures of the M62 under construction 45 years ago
Several roadworks that had been due to take place this weekend have also been postponed.
They include the overnight closure of the M62 between junction 19 at Heywood and junction 20 at Oldham to remove an overhead gantry as part of the smart motorway scheme.
This is the road (and rails) ... to hell
In West Yorkshire, the planned removal of roadworks on the M1 smart motorway scheme between junction 39 at Denby Dale and junction 41 at Morley has also been postponed.
Phil Stockford, Emergency Planning Manager at Highways England, said: “We issue severe weather alerts when there is a significant risk to vehicles using motorways and major A roads. The amber status means drivers should be prepared before setting out on journeys.
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“There’s a particular risk to lorries and other vulnerable vehicles, such as caravans and motorbikes, so we’re asking drivers to slow down and to avoid using exposed sections of motorways and other routes if possible”.
Yorkshire locations at particular risk include the A628 Woodhead Pass, the M62 Junction 23 at Outlane to Junction 25 at Brighouse23 and the M62 between Normanton and Pontefract.
