Motorways widened under DfT scheme

The government last night announced new plans to fund road-widening on busy stretches of the M60 and M62 motorways.

Motorists will be able to drive on the hard shoulder of both roads during peak periods under new schemes announced by Transport Secretary Philip Hammond.

In Greater Manchester, junctions 8 - 12 on the M60 will get a 'dynamic hard shoulder' running for 3.9 miles adjacent to the Trafford Centre. Junctions 12–15 will also get an extra lane for the anti-clockwise carriageway of the M60 covering the three miles.

Junctions 18–20 of the M62 will also get a dynamic hard shoulder, running for 5 miles near Rochdale.

The A556 between Knutsford and Bowdon will see the four-mile link between the M6 junction 19 and the M56 junction 7 upgraded to a dual carriageway.

More than £600m is also being made available by the government for further local authority projects.

"While we have had to make some tough choices, I am pleased that spending on transport was treated as a priority for the Government in the spending review,” said Hammond.

"This Government sees transport as a key driver of growth nationally and in the regions. So I am delighted to be able to give the green light to 24 new transport projects and a fund worth over £600m for many more schemes to bid for.

"Taken together, this investment will not only bring benefits in terms of reduced congestion, shorter journey times and more efficient public transport, but also provide a vital economic boost.

"For every pound we spend on Highways Agency schemes, on average we will get back £6 of benefits and in many cases there are even higher returns for local authority schemes.

"Transport is vital to securing the UK's long term prosperity. That is why these schemes are so important and why I will continue to argue for investment which delivers long term benefits for both the travelling public and the economy as a whole."