Press release: Record road investment in the North West steps up in 2018

The £242 million investment includes improvements to the A57 on the Greater Manchester side – featuring new dual and single carriageways between the M67 and Woolley Bridge. There are also other important improvements along the route with safety and technology improvements either side of Woodhead Pass and a major overhaul of Westwood roundabout in South Yorkshire where the A616 meets the A61.

The consultation started on 12 February 2018 and will close on Sunday 25 March, with a series of public consultation events planned and a variety of other ways for people to get involved – including by email, post and online.

This is one of 3 major scheme milestones which will take place in the North West in the 6 months to June.

The upgrades are funded by the Government’s £15 billion investment in motorways and main A roads and being delivered by Highways England.

Highways England chief executive Jim O’Sullivan said:

This upgrade is further evidence of Highways England continuing to deliver the major infrastructure which benefits the North West. It’s important that we take all opinions into account so I urge anyone with an interest to make their views known.

Another 2 schemes in the North West will reach key milestones before June. Preliminary work on the M62 junction 10 to junction 12 smart motorway scheme will begin in March. This scheme which links the M6 near Warrington (junction 10) to the M60 near Eccles (junction 12) will add around 10 additional lane miles to the network, increasing capacity, and introduce new technology to tackle congestion and keep drivers informed.

The public will also have the opportunity to find out more about the A585 Windy Harbour scheme near Poulton-le-Fylde in Lancashire. Consultation will take place in March on the proposed bypass of the existing A585 at Little Singleton, improving journey times and safety along this route.

Nationwide, almost 40 projects will hit milestones over the same period, including 7 schemes starting construction and 4 improvements opening to traffic, adding much needed extra capacity to some of the country’s busiest roads and improving journeys for millions of drivers. Others will hit crucial points – including public consultations that will help shape the proposals, and route announcements.

April will mark 3 years since Highways England embarked on delivering the Government’s Road Investment Strategy, the biggest investment in the country’s major roads since the 1970s.

The schemes reaching milestones in the first half of this year will join the 18 major projects that have already opened to traffic since April 2015. A further 17 are presently in construction. In the North West the new A556 Knutsford to Bowdon bypass opened in March 2017, linking the M56 and the M6. The old road – now the B5569 – has been handed over to Cheshire East Council and includes improved facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.

Consultation events for the Trans-Pennine upgrades are being staged across both sides of the Pennines and details can be found on the scheme webpage.

As well as the public exhibitions, paper response forms and consultation brochures will be available at locations open to the public from 12 February and can be handed in at these events or sent to the freepost address provided on the form. Further information about the proposals and full details of the deposit locations, which include some local post offices and libraries, are available on the consultation page.

Anyone who wants more information or to give their views on the scheme can also email the project team at: Trans_Pennine_Scheme@highwaysengland.co.uk or call 0300 123 5000, Highways England’s customer care centre.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.