Diversion gets diverted after row over noise
RESIDENT RECORDED AVERAGE OF 37 HGVS AN HOUR ON STREET
A DIVERSION route in force because of an overnight motorway closure has been changed by highways bosses.
The moves comes after the M.E.N. revealed the plight of homeowners living on a normally-quiet residential road along a stretch of the diversion. One frustrated resident set up a GoPro camera to reveal how many HGVs rumbled past his house between 10pm and 6am – and timelapse footage captured an average of 37 an hour. Recent night closures of the M60 motorway, between junctions 15 and 17, has seen traffic taken off the motorway at junction 17 for Prestwich and routed via Whitefield, Radcliffe and Little Lever in Bolton, before rejoining the motorway network near Bolton.
The diversions and closure will be in force between 10pm and 6am, Monday to Friday, as part of the smart motorway project on the M60 and M62, and are set to last until April 28.
Starting tomorrow evening, Highways England has confirmed the diversion route has been changed to avoid residential areas Whitefield, Radcliffe and Little Lever.
The new route represents a longer journey for HGVs, but sticks to larger main roads.
For traffic heading towards Leeds, the diversion will follow signs for the M61 onto the A666 St Peter’s Way, then turn left on to Bury Road by the edge of Leverhulme Park in Bolton.
From there, HGVs will travel through Breightmet along Bury and Bolton Road and into Bury on the A58, before turning right on to the A56 Manchester Road, passing through Fishpool near Bury Golf Club before entering Whitefield on Bury New Road and rejoining the motorway.
Traffic travelling westbound would be diverted right through Whitefield, following the route in reverse.
Residents said the initial diversion was keeping them awake at night, potentially damaging properties and causing huge potholes.
Announcing the new route, Khalid El-Rayes, Manchester’s smart motorway project manager, said: “We have listened to the feedback from residents and will be introducing a new overnight diversion route from Thursday following discussions with local councils and police.
“The new route will use the A666, A58 and A56, avoiding Radcliffe and Little Lever.”