There are delays and closures on the M53 and M56
Traffic chaos on the M56 near the Runcorn turn off (Image: Handout )
Roads have closed and trains have been cancelled across Merseyside this morning. It comes after the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for snow and ice which came into force at midnight and remains in place until 12pm on Monday, January 6.
There are several issues in and around the region’s motorways. The M53 southbound is currently closed and there are long delays due to emergency repairs at J7 B5132 Netherpool Road (Overpool), with congestion to J4 Bebington.
On the M56 eastbound, there are “long delays” due to an earlier crash at J11 A56 Chester Road (Preston Brook). According to traffic management system Inrix, there is congestion to J14 (Helsby).
The A533 Southern Expressway in Runcorn is also closed in both directions from the A56 to Murdishaw Avenue due to four stranded lorries. Also on the Mersey Gateway, the Weston Point Expressway to Weston Link Northbound has also been closed due to the weather conditions.
There is also “major disruption” on some Merseyrail lines. Due to a points failure at Hunts Cross, the Hunts Cross and Ormskirk line is disrupted and disruption is expected until 11am.
The train operator said train services from Hunts Cross will be delayed by up to 15 minutes or terminated at and started back from Liverpool South Parkway. Due to flooding at Fazakerley, the Headbolt Lane line is disrupted and train services to Headbolt Lane may be cancelled or delayed by up to 20 minutes.
There is also flooding at Hooton which is impacting the Chester and Ellesmere Port line. Merseyrail said disruption is expected until the end of the day.