M60 maintenance work to start

There will be weekend lane closures on a section of the M60 motorway near Stockport later in June as repairs to a bridge over the River Mersey gets underway.

The Highways Agency said the £1m work involves re-waterproofing the deck of the bridge which carries the motorway over the River Mersey, just north of Cheadle Heath.

There will be weekend closures of lane along the anti-clockwise and clockwise carriageways between Junction 1 and Junction 2 of the motorway from Friday 24 June, until late July or early August depending on the weather.

Highways Agency said the work will also require simultaneous closures of the clockwise entry slip road at Junction 1 with a signed diversion in place.

Both carriageways will be stripped back to the bridge deck and the new waterproofing applied before the carriageway is reinstated. The work and traffic management will affect a mile-long stretch of the motorway.

Mark Mosley, Highways Agency project sponsor, said: "While the motorway here is less busy at weekends, delays are still possible and anyone wanting to travel through this area should consider an alternative route – especially with the major resurfacing works continuing at the weekends further along the motorway between Junctions 19 and 23."

The work is being carried out without closing the motorway and will alternate between the clockwise and anti-clockwise carriageways.

Highways Agency said on the carriageway where work is taking place two narrowed lanes, sometimes using the hard shoulder as a running lane, will always be open to road users during the day with a reduction to single lane running overnight.

A 50mph speed limit will be in place for the safety of motorway users and roadworkers.

Traffic management will be in operation from 10pm on Friday evenings and will not be lifted again until 5am on the following Monday morning.

Traffic officers at the Highways Agency's regional control centre, just off the M6 at Newton-le-Willows, will be setting electronic signs to advise motorway users of the work. Some hard signing will also be deployed before work starts.