Greater Manchester’s transport network is struggling to cope as Storm Franklin batters the region, and people are being advised not to travel.
Trams, trains and the road network are all experience delays, cancellations and closures due to high winds.
The Met office has issued a yellow weather warning across much of the UK until 1pm today.
Many train companies are urging people not to travel unless absolutely necessary.
Some of the most major disruption to travel caused by Storm Franklin today is on the M60.
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A section of the busy motorway near Trafford Park is closed in both directions due to an overturned lorry.
A deserted M60 this morning during Storm Franklin while an overturned lorry is recovered
The M60 is closed clockwise between J9 and J11, and anti-clockwise between J11 and J10, while the vehicle – which is resting on the central reservation – is recovered.
The A34 Kingsway is closed in both directions near Mauldeth Road due to a fallen tree, while flooding has closed Flixton Road in Carrington and the A555 near Styal Road.
Several smaller roads across the region are also blocked by fallen trees, so avoiding travel is advised.
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On public transport, train services in and out of Manchester are facing delays and cancellations.
Northern Rail cancelled all of its services this morning.
⛔️Due to the severe weather and numerous incidents, caused by #StormFranklin, we will be terminating all services in the North West. No further trains until at least 10:30, and this might be extended. Do not attempt to travel, do not head to stations as there are no alternatives. pic.twitter.com/55X7aAnT4k
Storm Franklin has also wreaked on Metrolink lines today, with a fallen tree near Victoria halting services on the Bury and Rochdale lines.
The tree has now been removed, but services are still experiencing delays while everything gets back up and running.
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Metrolink passengers are still able to use their tram tickets on bus services 41, 97, 98, 135 and 524 (for the Bury line) and 59, 81, 83, 181, 182 and 184 (for the Rochdale line).
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons
News
Further disruption expected as more bus strikes announced across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Further disruption is expected as even more bus strikes have been announced across Greater Manchester this autumn.
It comes after the strikes set to place this month from 19 to 22 September were announced a couple of weeks back, and now a second round will take place towards the end of this month and going into early October.
In case this is the first you’re hearing of the upcoming industrial action, 2,000 workers who are employed by Stagecoach, Metroline Manchester, and First Bus Rochdale – all of which are firms among those that make up the bus part of the Bee Network – are due to walk out in a co-ordinated strike amid an ongoing pay dispute.
Unite the Union says all the firms are ‘highly profitable’ and it’s therefore ‘disappointing’ that workers are being denied a fair wage.
More strikes have been announced on the Bee Network this month / Credit: TfGM
At Stagecoach, around 1,000 drivers based across the Oldham, Stockport, and Middleton depots have rejected a pay offer of 3.5%, and 1,000 Metroline Manchester members will also do the same after turning down an ‘unsatisfactory’ below-inflation pay offer.
Workers at both Metroline and Stagecoach believe the offer doesn’t address years of low pay they’ve recieved, especially given the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Then, over at First Bus Rochdale, 110 members have rejected this year’s pay offer of 6%, as they feel this does not go far enough to address the fact they’ve had years of being paid less than their counterparts at other companies, and are still the lowest paid in the region.
Stagecoach, Metroline, and First Bus Rochdale, part of First Group PLC, are all firms which have seen a rise in profits in recent years.
2,000 drivers are set to stage strike action over two different periods / Credit: TfGM
The second round of strikes will now take place from from 30 September to 2 October.
Speaking ahead of both sets of upcoming strikes, Unite General Secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “These companies are very profitable but are putting greed over their hardworking members of staff.
“Further strike action will be extremely disruptive, however this is a dispute entirely of the bus companies’ making and they could solve it easily by coming back with a better deal.
“Our members involved in the dispute have Unite’s complete support.”
Unite Regional Officer, Colin Hayden, added: “The strikes this week as well as the further action we have called will cause travel chaos in Greater Manchester. However, it is entirely the fault of the employers involved, who have failed to address the issue of low pay and reward their staff accordingly.
“Unite is not afraid to escalate to more strikes, which will only intensify going forward.
“It is time for the employers to make an offer that is acceptable to our members to resolve this disruption.”
Featured Image – TfGM
News
Police appeal after Bolton woman, 24, dies in collision following suspected ‘medical episode’
Emily Sergeant
An appeal for information and witnesses has been issued following a fatal collision in Bolton earlier this week.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that at around 7pm on Tuesday (16 September), a car was travelling eastbound along Chorley Old Road, near to the Horwich area of Bolton, when it is believed to have lost control and collided with a wall.
Sadly, the driver of the car – a woman aged 24 – died at the scene, and it is believed she may have had a suspected ‘medical episode’.
No other vehicles were involved in the shocking incident.
#APPEAL | Officers are appealing for information following a fatal traffic collision in Bolton yesterday evening (16 September 2025).
The road was closed for large part of Tuesday evening, close to the junctions with Old Kiln Lane and Walker Fold Road – with at least six police cars reported to be in attendance at one point, as well as several paramedics and even an air ambulance.
Police are still investigating the full circumstances of the collision, and are now asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident to get in touch.
This also includes anyone with dashcam, CCTV, or doorbell footage which capturing the collision.
Daisy Jackson -
21st February 2022 
