The long-running roadworks to turn a section of the M56 through Manchester and Cheshire into a "smart motorway" have been delayed - and the route will not be complete until 2023. The major road scheme has seen major disruption to motorists from Junction 6 at Hale Barns to Junction 7/8 at the Bowdon interchange for the past two years.
The roadworks have seen regular night-time closures on alternate carriageways of the M56, and 50 mile per hour speed limits throughout the junctions across the day. The scheme was due to be complete by the end of November 2022.
But highways bosses have now confirmed that delays to the programme mean the roadworks will continue into the new year. They are yet to confirm a specific completion date for the full scheme but it is thought to be early 2023.
Read next : Scathing reviews of Manchester Christmas Markets as shoppers fume too many food and drink stalls
The roadworks have seen technicians working through the night to create an extra lane on each side of the carriageway. Once the groundwork is fully complete there will still be several more weeks of "staged openings" of the extra lanes before it will operate as four lanes on both sides and return to the national speed limit.
During these tests, the speed limit will remain at 60mph for "several weeks" while safety systems are tested and calibrated. The smart motorway scheme aims to "add capacity to the existing strategic road network in order to support economic growth and maintain mobility" on one of the main arterial routes into and out of Manchester.
Highways bosses have blamed "poor weather" and additional structural works for the delays to the programme.
National Highways’ M56 project manager Sajjad Ali said: "We are working as quickly as is safely possible to finish these roadworks so drivers can benefit from an extra lane in each direction and extra technology supporting more reliable journeys - especially at the currently congested peak times.
"A combination of factors including poor weather, extra drainage work in the central reservation to accommodate the new concrete safety barrier and additional structural work means we won’t be able to start the staged opening of the extra lanes to drivers as soon as we’d hoped but if this doesn’t happen just before Christmas we’ll be working to do so as soon as possible early in the new year.
"In the meantime we’d like to thank drivers – including people using the airport for work or travel - for their continued patience and support as we strive to complete this vital investment in the important Midlands to Manchester and Manchester Airport corridor.”
Highways bosses have confirmed that night-time closures will continue on the M56 eastbound in December. There will be full night-time closures from 9pm to 6am from Junctions 7 to 5 on December 2, 3, 7, 8, 10 and 11, with the official diversion route adding around 25 - 35 minutes to journey times according to National Highways.
The planned closures for the week of December 12 have not yet been published. But from 6am on December 19 the national roadworks embargo begins for the Christmas and New Year break, before they restart again on January 3, 2023.
The official strategic diversion will see eastbound traffic diverted off the M56 at J7, to Bowdon roundabout. Drivers will then take the second exit roundabout (A556) and the exit for J8 (M56) to continue on the M56 and exit at junction 9 then merge onto the M6 northbound.
They say to continue on the M6 northbound, take the exit at junction 21a and merge onto the M62 eastbound. Continue on the M62 take the exit at junction 12 and merge onto the M60 (S&E) leaving at junction 5 onto the A5103 Princess Parkway, then continue eastbound towards Manchester or westbound towards the M56 and Manchester Airport.
Read more of today's top stories here
READ MORE:
- Struggling neighbours in Salford's 'biggest eyesore' face 'scandalous' rent hike - on Christmas Eve
- Police release CCTV footage after three attempted kidnappings that saw schoolgirls targeted
- How the Devil Dog Mobster's reign of terror ended in a hail of bullets at the wheel of his £50k Mercedes
- Loan sharks and drug dealer caught in a dead end among Greater Manchester criminals waking up behind bars
- Village rocked by murder of devoted dad found shot and attacked with acid in quiet street
