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Work to open an extra lane on the M6 between Wigan and Warrington will require overnight closures this week.
The work, running from March 2021 until an estimated completion date of Spring 2025, will see the motorway switched to an ‘all-lane running’ Smart Motorway with capacity increased in what is described as a cost-effective way.
This week will see the removal of existing roadworks on the stretch of motorway with the fourth lane between junction 21a and 26 expected to be available from 17 October.
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A 50mph speed limit will remain in place until Spring 2025 even after the lane is open while ‘safety and technology features’ are fine-tuned.
Overnight motorway closures, between 9pm and 6am, will happen on the following stretches of carriageway:
14 October – M6 southbound, junction 23 to 22
15 October – M6 southbound, junction 26-23
16 October – M6 northbound, junction 21a to 22
18 October – M6 southbound, junction 23-22
21 October – M6 southbound, junction 26-25 (lane closures only)
23 October – M6 northbound, junction 23-26
If work on the M6 is finished by Spring 2025, it will still have seen the project overrun by two years.
Smart motorways have been cut back due to safety concerns and the number of incidents linked to their implementation – but the Wigan – Warrington section continued as it was already underway.
But extra safety measures – including the introduction of double the planned ‘safety zones’ for when all lanes of traffic are in use – led to delays.
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