M6 northbound reopens near Lancaster after trees made safe as Storm Éowyn hits

The closure was put in place on the between junctions 33 (Hampson Green) and 34 (Halton) at approximately midday today.

Police said the motorway was closed as they assisted National Highways in “ensuring trees on the roadside are safe to pass and are stable.”

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“We anticipate that the road will be closed for a short amount of time, whilst we clear the road,” a spokesman for Lancashire Police added.

“In the meantime, we’d recommend looking for an alternative route and driving carefully, leaving plenty of extra time to get to your destination.

“As always, thank you for your patience and stay safe if you’re out and about today.”

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In an update posted at 2.10pm, officers confirmed the motorway had reopened.

The closure came as Storm Éowyn brought winds of up to 80mph to the county, with 100mph gust predicted in other parts of the UK.

Forecasters said the weather conditions brought a “risk of significant disruption to transport and power supplies as well as dangerous conditions outdoors”, with “very dangerous” driving conditions because of fallen trees and other debris.

They also warned of the potential for damage to buildings and homes.

An amber weather warning for wind covering all of Lancashire came into force at 6am today and will end at 9pm.

A spokesman for the Met Office said: “Storm Éowyn will move across the northwest of the UK on Friday, clearing to the northeast on Friday night.

“This will bring a spell of very strong west to southwesterly winds, with peak gusts of 60-70 mph fairly widely inland, 70-80 mph in some areas, and 80-90 mph along more exposed coasts and hills (perhaps even higher in a few locations).

“It should be noted that there may be a slight reduction in wind strength for a time as the centre of Storm Éowyn passes overhead, this most likely in parts of Northern Ireland and western Scotland, before winds rapidly increase again. Winds will gradually ease later on Friday.”