came onto M60 clockwise jn 11 yesterday running up to jn 20 ended up taking two hours to do this why because a tanker had broke down blocking two lanes between 19-20 how did i know this because sally traffic told me the shiney matrix signs remained blank through out .
then today coming anti clock wise from the M62 matrix signs are telling me the M6 is blocked jn40 -41 get to the bottom of hill at jn 16 and come to a stop before taking an hour to climb up to jn 15 and manage to get off onto the A580 and this is due to a truck breaking down at jn 15 and how again do i know this sally traffic again !
whats the point of having these Matrix signs if they are giving out the useless information about something happening 100 miles away when the local road and more immediate problem is blocked and there is no warning ?
I just think you have just been unlucky and arrived before the traffic people have known about the incidents.
They have probably been 'decommissioned" in certain sections whilst the roadworks for ‘smart motorways’ is ongoing.
Don’t know if there’s any hard signage out to inform drivers of that.
MIDAS usually gets disabled as well you may come up to the back of queues unexpectedly if not using the ‘MK1 eyeball’ system.
Speedy is correct, all signals between J18 - J20 both sides on the M62 are now decommissioned, although there are just a couple of message signs on the E/B that can be set (these are on a different circuit I’m told), but they won’t show lane closures or speeds. All the Midas between J18 & J15 (possibly even further around the ACW) are disabled as well, The speed cameras are working, but I believe there’s been hic-up with the legality of the wording in the TRO, so no prosecutions yet, soon to be resolved.
There would have been signals for the lane closure for the broken down HGV, just drivers ignoring them until they get to the cones, then stop the traffic to push in, that’ what causes most of the delays.
The real Biffo:
The speed cameras are working, but I believe there’s been hic-up with the legality of the wording in the TRO, so no prosecutions yet, soon to be resolved.
From what i gather there is nothing wrong with the wording of the TTRO but the BIB were pulling their face and wanted it changing, I forgot what the bloke in the lift said when i was chatting to him 
but he wasn’t impressed with the BIBs ‘attitude’.
I was only dealing with a ministerial question very recently where a certain NW police force have cocked up twice on the info they have given to a MOP 