Simister Island: Government backs motorway junction upgrade

A huge motorway upgrade to transform the network around the notoriously congested Simister Island has been given the go-ahead.

The project, affecting the M60, M62 and M66 routes, would see a ‘northern loop’ built to create a new free-flowing traffic section without the needfor thousands of vehicles a day to use the current traffic light-controlled roundabout.

Simister Island interchange is one of the busiest motorway junctions in the north-west, used by around 90,000 vehicles a day.

National Highways said the junction struggles with much higher volumes of traffic above what it was designed for, and as a result, suffers from congestion and poor journey time reliability.

The application, approved by the Government on Tuesday (September 9), will consist of the construction of a new free-flow link from the M60 eastbound to M60 southbound carriageways.

Realignment of the M66 southbound carriageway on the approach to the junction.

Construction of a new two-lane free-flow road from the M60 northbound to the M60 westbound to replace the existing single-lane, and widen theM66 southbound to four lanes through junction 18.

There will be a conversion of the hard shoulder into a permanent traffic lane between M60 junctions 17 and 18, providing five lanes in both directions.

Other works will include improvements to signage, signalling and drainage.

The decision has been made following an examination during which the public, statutory consultees, and interested parties were allowedto give evidence to the examining authority.

Recommendations were made to the Secretary of State on June 9.

Early estimates of project costs are between £207m and £340m, and it would take around two years to build.

National Highways has summarised its reasoning behind the proposals in planning documents, saying the scheme was ‘great news for the local andregional economy’.

It added: “The scheme will improve J18 of the M60 and facilitate the movement of traffic along the M60, M62 and M66 in the scheme area, contributing to more reliable and safer journeys through the junction.

“To facilitate the new arrangements at J18, the scheme provides additional capacity between J17-18 with the change to a dual five lane motorway with hard shoulder cross-section.

"This will provide additional benefits to those already delivered through the Manchester smart motorways scheme and reduce delays through the improved junction as well as on the M60."