Highways chiefs rev up smart motorways plan
TRANSPORT bosses have unveiled £1.5bn plans to roll-out more smart motorway schemes in the region.
Among the new projects for the M62 announced by Highways England will create the biggest strech of smart motorway in the country, meaning variable speed limits and the potential use of thae hard shoulder to ease congestion across 60 miles of carriageway between the North West and Yorkshire.
Highways England, which took over responsibility for motorways and major A roads earlier this year says plans for the North West will result in the biggest increase in capacity on the region’s road network for 50 years.
Two of the latest schemes on the M62 will run on a nine-mile section between junctions 10 at the M6 interchange near Warrington and junction 12 at the M60 interchange near Eccles, and on a 19-mile stretch between junction 20 at the A627 (M) interchange near Rochdale and junction 25 near Brighouse, West Yorkshire.
Also, a seven-mile stretch of smart motorway will be created on the opposite side of the M60 to the current scheme, between junction 24 at the M67 interchange near Denton and junction 4 at the M56 interchange near Cheadle.
A 10-mile section of the M6 between junction 21a at the M62 interchange near Warrington and junction 26 at the M58 interchange near Skelmersdale will also become a smart motorway, along with a four-mile section of the M56 between junctions 6 and 8 near Manchester Airport.
Other schemes planned for the region include bypasses on the A556, A585 and A57, new motorway junctions on the M55 and M56, and junction upgrades on the M6.
During 2015/16 130 miles of lanes on motorways and major A roads will be resurfaced, 40 miles of safety barriers will be installed, and 2,900 lighting columns will be upgraded, the organisation said.
Alan Shepherd, North West Regional Director at Highways England, said: “The North West’s motorways and dual carriageways form the backbone for the region’s economy and this huge investment will ensure they remain healthy for many years to come.”
